Overview

• Four new emperor penguin colonies have been discovered in Antarctica, bringing the total number of known colonies to 66.
• The colonies were identified through satellite imagery, which revealed brown stains from the penguins' guano on the white ice.
• Some of the newly discovered colonies appear to have relocated due to unstable sea-ice conditions caused by climate change.
• The discovery does not significantly change the overall population estimates for emperor penguins, which are considered 'near threatened' with extinction.
• Emperor penguins breed on sea ice, and the loss of this habitat due to climate change poses a significant threat to the species.