A catastrophic die-off of emperor penguin chicks has been observed in Antarctica, with estimates that up to 10,000 chicks were killed. The sea ice beneath the chicks melted and broke before they could develop the waterproof feathers needed to swim in the ocean. The birds most likely drowned or froze to death. The event occurred in late 2022 in the western part of the continent, in the Bellingshausen Sea area.

Satellites recorded it.

Dr Peter Fretwell of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said the deletion was a harbinger of things to come.

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