BBC & The Penguins
By Paul Homewood
h/t Joe Public
First we had WWF asking for money under false pretences to save the Adelie penguins. Now it seems that the BBC have jumped on the bandwagon.
In their report on Cambridge scientist, Stacey Adlard’s work studying the penguins in Antarctica, they prominently show this chart:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-30192616
This totally ignores the fact that Adelies have actually been thriving in recent years, a fact which Stacey herself acknowledges. It was only in July that scientists discovered that their population had increased by 53% since 1993, reported in the paper “First global census of the Adélie Penguin”. In particular, the study discovered newly colonised locations, proving that the birds are perfectly able to move around as conditions alter.
Factors affecting the Adelie population are many and complex, but the study found that population increases in East Antarctica more than offset declines on the Peninsula, suggesting that expanding sea ice in the former has been a factor.
It has also been identified that Adelies flourished during the 19th and 20thC, at a time when whales and seals, who are competitors for the krill they eat, were largely wiped out from the southern oceans. As these mammals gradually return, there will inevitable be pressures on the Adelie population, particularly in the warmer waters of the Peninsula.
The website, Birds News, offers many other interesting insights, but one is of particular relevance. According to scientist, Heather Lynch, “climate change may actually increase their populations, particularly in areas along the Ross Sea where we have glacial retreat that leaves them more space on which to breed”.
In addition, the accelerated melting of iron-rich Antarctic ice fosters plankton blooms, which the krill feed on.
Unsurprisingly, the global warming obsessed BBC won’t tell you any of this.
Comments are closed.
NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
What I would like to know is why Arctic Ground Squirrels have got it in for Antarctic Adelie Penguins? Anyone got a research grant available to help me find out, if I promise to let the BBC be the first to know ?
All I ask for Christmas is an honest BBC. Is that too much d’ya think?
Santa has his limits. You’re probably past them with this request.
You have about as much chance as me getting an honest CBC – Best to all- and thanks for all you do Paul.
The BBC News Channel this morning were also using “Extreme”, “Severe” and “Deadly” to describe the Single Tornado during a storm in Mississippi.
I do realise that at least 4 people were killed during this storm, but for a country that can experience 10 to 20 tornados in one day, to call 1 single tornado Extreme is well, a bit extreme to say the least.
Having lived where tornadoes were a fact of life, I do find the media trying to turn every tornado into a horrific outcome of global warming extremely dishonest. There are areas in the US proned to tornadoes. If you live there, you have to be prepared. It’s very sad when people die, absolutely, but in reality, we have far fewer deaths now due to our radar and early warning systems than ever before in history.
I have never understood why people live in trailers where there are tornadoes. Tornadoes do huge amounts of damage to trailer parks. It makes no sense, except maybe that you can replace the trailer faster than you can rebuild a house.
No amount of reducing CO2 will ever stop tornadoes, nor is it likely to decrease the number. It’s cruel to imply otherwise.
Merry Christmas Paul and to all you other bloggers.
Well, although it seems that Adelie penguins are doing OK, there are many other species that are affected by climate change. I’m speaking about polar bears, marine animals, and even about some species that live in the desert area. I think that there are many issues that need to be discussed and that are related to the animal kingdom and climate change….
Polar bears are doing well. Increasing in number. Marine animals—they seem fine too. Research has revealed the problems predicted based on lab studies are not really happening in the ocean. Species that live in the desert? In the US, solar panels seem their biggest problem. Animals adapt, whether or not humans are involved. Animals have dealt with changing climates longer than humans have existed. Seems odd that we worry about the animals when the animals are doing just fine.
The polar bears are affected by the reduction in sea ice, lobsters are affected by the warmer waters, that made them change their habitat, other sea animals are affected by the higher degree of acidity in some areas of the ocean. You are right that animals adapt, after all that’s evolution.
Merry Christmas
from the dry side of the Cascades in Washington State
And from these little ones, also.
Paul, A very Merry Christmas to you and yours.
And to all your readers!