Emperor penguins are one of the Antarctic's most iconic animals – but these majestic birds are on the pathway to extinction. The dramatic images reveal how shrinking sea ice is forcing the birds into smaller, increasingly crowded groups. Before 2022, the team identified hundreds of groups of moulting penguins along the coast of Marie Byrd Land. AdvertisementHowever, by 2022, that number was slashed to just 25, with penguins forced to clump together on the dwindling sea ice. According to the experts, this is particularly worrying because emperor penguins are so slow breeding.

Source: Daily Mail February 25, 2026 15:10 UTC