Scientists from Stony Brook University have found that vast colonies of Adélie penguins in the Weddell Sea have remained stable in the last decade, providing new evidence that these areas remain a climate refuge for Adélie penguins.

The findings add more weight to the theory that the Weddell Sea may provide an important shelter for wildlife from the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

The Weddell Sea is the site of a vast proposed Marine Protected Area (MPA), first proposed by the Antarctic Ocean Commission (CCAMLR), which has not been delivered. This discovery reinforces the urgent need to protect and preserve the Weddell Sea while it retains an intact and functioning ecosystem.