# Iceberg linked to 69% fall in emperor penguin chick survival 2026-08-06T19:56:03+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Surviving emperor penguin chicks at Antarctica’s Coulman Island colony fell 69% in 2025 from the previous year, with researchers linking the decline to a grounded iceberg. Aerial photographs counted 6,658 surviving chicks in 2025, against 21,242 in 2024. The study was published in Communications Earth & Environment. The iceberg grounded north of the island in July 2025 and stayed until early January 2026. It extended the shortest route to open water from about 9.3 km to 14.9 km. Researchers said adult penguins were forced to take a longer route after encountering a steep cliff on the iceberg, delaying food deliveries and possibly causing chicks to starve. The iceberg has since moved on, but the researchers warned that weakening ice shelves could make such events more common. ## Coverage - economictimes.indiatimes.com Tags: Antarctica, climate change, emperor penguins, icebergs Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/iceberg-linked-to-69-fall-in-emperor-penguin-chick-survival/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/iceberg-linked-to-69-fall-in-emperor-penguin-chick-survival/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.