Explore a Hidden Colony of 1.5 Million Antarctic Penguins
Transcript
A penguin mega-colony has been discovered off the western coast of Antarctica.
The Danger Islands are home to more than 1.5 million Adélie penguins that were hiding in plain sight.
Satellite images and an on-the-ground survey revealed the colonies’ immense sizes.
And the massive amounts of guano, or feces, that the penguins left behind helped satellites measure their population.
The findings are helping inform plans for conserving Antarctica’s waters, some of which have seen alarming declines of Adélie penguins.