Satellite images show how penguins’ diets are changing in response to Antarctic climate change

When penguin colonies are surrounded by sea ice, the penguins tend to eat more fish, rather than krill. And colonies that eat more fish are more successful at sustaining their numbers.

By: Casey Youngflesh, Clemson University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 3, 2026

Words: 933

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By Casey Youngflesh, Clemson University

The color of penguin poop, as seen from space, is offering a new window into how the ecology and the environment of Antarctica are changing over time.

Adélie penguins are one of the most abundant predators in the Southern Ocean. They rely on food sources in the ocean, but nest on rocky outcrops all around the Antarctic continent.

Penguin colonies often have hundreds of thousands of nesting birds, which …

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