Egg and Chick Mortality: The thinning of sea ice also increases the risk of egg and chick mortality by crushing or drowning.
Prey Depletion: Climate change affects the abundance of the tiny shrimp-like krill, a key food source for emperor penguins and their prey, reducing their availability for penguins.
Fishing and Other Human Activities: Humans can disrupt penguin colonies through fishing, tourism, and scientific research, especially during the sensitive breeding and nesting periods.
Plastic Pollution: Emperor penguins may ingest plastic waste in the ocean while searching for food, leading to health problems and reduced survival.
Disease and Parasite Outbreaks: Climate change can alter ecosystem dynamics and expose emperor penguins to new diseases or parasites that they are not adapted to handle, leading to population decline.
Competition from Other Species: With sea ice loss and changing ecosystems, emperor penguins may face increased competition for food and breeding grounds from other species, further intensifying the threats they face.