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    HomeWorld NewsMassive Iceberg Moves Toward Antarctic Island, Posing Risk to Penguin Habitats

    Massive Iceberg Moves Toward Antarctic Island, Posing Risk to Penguin Habitats

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    World’s Largest Iceberg Drifts Towards South Georgia, Threatening Wildlife Habitats

    The world’s largest iceberg, more than twice the size of London, is slowly drifting towards South Georgia, a key breeding ground for penguins and seals. Experts are concerned that its potential collision with the island could disrupt the feeding habits of the region’s wildlife, particularly for penguin chicks and seal pups.

    The colossal iceberg, known as A23a, measures approximately 3,500 square kilometers (1,550 square miles) and is currently moving from Antarctica towards the South Atlantic. Satellite imagery shows that, unlike other massive icebergs, A23a has not broken into smaller chunks as it travels through the Southern Ocean. Andrew Meijers, a physical oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey, highlighted that predicting the iceberg’s exact path is challenging, but prevailing ocean currents suggest it will reach the shallow continental shelf around South Georgia in two to four weeks.

    Once it reaches this area, the iceberg could either be carried into open water or, if it grounds on the seabed, it could get stuck for months. Such a scenario could have severe consequences for local wildlife. Icebergs have grounded in the past, causing significant mortality among penguin chicks and seal pups due to disruptions in feeding patterns and energy expenditure.

    Meijers, who encountered A23a in late 2023 during a scientific mission, described the iceberg as a “huge white cliff” stretching across the horizon. He compared it to a scene from Game of Thrones due to its imposing, dramatic presence. A23a, which calved from the Antarctic shelf in 1986, remained stuck for over 30 years before finally breaking free in 2020. Weighing just under a trillion tons, it is now being pushed by the powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

    While some scientists, including Raul Cordero from Chile’s University of Santiago, believe the iceberg will miss South Georgia due to the diversion caused by the island’s location, there are still concerns about the iceberg’s potential impact on wildlife. The island’s penguins and seals are already facing a tough season, battling outbreaks of bird flu and the challenges of feeding their young in the frigid waters. If the iceberg disrupts their feeding areas, it could result in increased mortality, as animals expend more energy navigating around it.

    Furthermore, as the iceberg melts, it could release nutrients into the water, potentially stimulating phytoplankton growth, which would feed whales and other marine species. Scientists are also eager to study how these nutrient-rich blooms could contribute to carbon absorption, offering insights into climate change mitigation.

    The situation is further complicated by the increasing frequency of iceberg calving, a phenomenon that is believed to be accelerating due to human-induced climate change. While icebergs are a natural occurrence, their movement and the consequences of their presence in delicate ecosystems are becoming a growing concern for environmental scientists.

    Sources By Agencies

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