Antarctic penguins are the "canary in the coal mine" for the effects of climate change on earth's organisms. Understanding how these creatures respond to their changing habitat informs environmental management strategies and conservation efforts. Oceanites is a non-profit research organization that oversees the seminal Antarctic Site Inventory project, which monitors penguin populations across the Antarctic Peninsula. Donate today to help Oceanites continue its important work.
One of the most rapidly warming regions on the plant, Antarctica is critical for understanding how climate change affects life on Earth. The environmental changes affecting Antarctica's wildlife, land, ice, and ocean will touch us all. In particular, the Antarctic penguins are experiencing significant upheaval, with some populations declining as much as 70 percent and the sea ice cover shrinking more than 66,000 square miles.
Oceanites will continue to collect data for its Antarctic Site Inventory, the only non-governmental science project in Antarctica and the sole project monitoring both penguin and seabird population changes throughout the entire continent. To date, the Antarctic Site Inventory is made up of data collected from 1,713 site visits and 223 Antarctic Peninsula locations. Oceanites' data helps inform the strategies of Antarctic Treaty system, which includes governments and other Antarctic scientists.
Oceanites' findings will continue to inform conservation efforts and provide insight into how Antarctic penguins respond to the changing climate. With additional research trips, the Antarctic Site Inventory can endure as the primary repository for information about population changes amongst Antarctic penguins and seabirds. Oceanites will partner with governments, others scientific groups, and universities to further understand the impact of climate change and engage in educational outreach.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).