King penguins temporarily benefit from warming world

WASHINGTON

While climate change often disrupts species interactions, king penguins are an unusual exception. Researchers studying 19,000 birds on a sub-Antarctic island found breeding now begins 19 days earlier than in 2000, boosting success rates by 40 percent, according to Science Advances.

Phenology — the study of seasonal timing — shows most birds and pollinators struggle to keep pace with warming climates. “Having a species like the king penguin adapt so well is unprecedented,” said Celine Le Bohec, a CNRS seabird ecologist. King penguins breed from late October to March, allowing flexibility that other penguins lack.

They adjust foraging patterns to changing waters and food webs, said lead author Gaël Bardon of the Scientific Centre of Monaco. Birds travel north or south or stay near colonies, adapting to food availability. King penguins’ varied diet, not limited to lanternfish, adds resilience.

Still, Le Bohec cautions this may be temporary. “They cope for now, but climate change is fast,” she said. Other penguins with limited diets face greater threats from warming oceans.

“The king penguin may have flexibility as a trick up its sleeve,” said Michelle LaRue of New Zealand’s University of Canterbury. Experts warn that current gains may not last and benefits for king penguins could come at the expense of other species, especially as ocean currents, precipitation, and temperatures continue changing.