Antarctic Adélie penguin colony in jeopardy as Marine Protection Area is rejected

Sarah Knapton, science editor 

27 OCTOBER 2017 • 3:49PM

A huge colony of Adélie penguins in Antarctica is at risk after an international commission founded to preserve wildlife at the South Pole refused to establish a Marine Protection Area, despite pleas from conservationists. 

The 18,000 pairs of penguins in Terre Adélie suffered a catastrophic breeding failure at the start of 2017 with only two chicks surviving.

It was hoped that The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) - which is meeting in Australia - would impose greater maritime restrictions on fisheries.

Australia and the EU have been calling for a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in East Antarctic waters since 2010 but when put to a vote on Friday the proposal did not gain the necessary consensus to pass.

Continued