WASHINGTON (AP) — Global warming is disrupting the reproductive timing of plants and animals, causing flowers to bloom too early and pollinating bees to arrive too late, usually bad news for interdependent species. But researchers have discovered a rare creature that is activated by this change: the king penguin.
A new study of 19,000 king penguins living on sub-Antarctic islands has found that they are beginning to breed 19 days earlier than in 2000. Mating earlier increased reproductive success by 40 percent, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
The study of timing in nature is called phenology. it’s been A big concern for biologists That’s because predators and prey, as well as pollinators and plants, mostly adapt to warmer climates at different rates. And that means a critical mismatch in timing.
It is especially common in pollinated species such as birds and bees. Most bird species, especially in North America, have not kept up with changes in phenology, said Casey Youngflesh, a professor of biological sciences at Clemson University who was not involved in the study.
In this photo provided by Gael Baldon, a king penguin chick hatches from an egg on Possession Island, Crozet Islands, January 6, 2026. (Gael Baldon/CSM/CNRS/IPEV via AP)
In this photo provided by Gael Baldon, a king penguin chick hatches from an egg on Possession Island, Crozet Islands, January 6, 2026. (Gael Baldon/CSM/CNRS/IPEV via AP)
Add AP News to Google
See more stories on Google by adding AP News as your preferred source.
Share Read more
It’s “unprecedented” that a species like the king penguin can adapt so well to changing seasons and timing, said study co-author Céline Le Bohec, a seabird ecologist at the French scientific agency CNRS. “That’s pretty impressive.”
Different from other penguins. threatened by declining numbers Because they breed quickly, king penguins can breed from late October to March. And they’re taking advantage of that flexibility, Le Bohec said.
Le Bohec and lead study author Gael Bardon, a seabird ecologist at the Monaco Science Center, said they were successful despite rising water temperatures and corresponding changes in the food chain they depend on.
“They can adjust their foraging behavior very well,” Burdon said. “We know that some birds head directly south, towards the polar front. Some birds head north. Some birds stay around the colony and are able to adjust their behavior. That’s why king penguins are able to cope well with such changes so far.”
Le Bohec added that this may only be a temporary adaptation to a rapidly changing environment. “That’s why this species is able to cope with this change so far, but for how long? We don’t know, because it’s happening so rapidly.”
Other penguins with restricted diets are further threatened by ocean warming and changes in the composition of the food chain. But although king penguins are considered a species of least concern because they are so abundant, they can eat prey other than lanternfish, the researchers said.
“King penguins may have some flexibility and may be better placed to adapt to changes in their environment,” said Michelle Larue, professor of Antarctic marine science at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, who was not involved in the study. But she said king penguins live for more than 20 years in the wild and this study only looked at a fraction of their lifespan, making her wonder what happens after breeding.
Outside scientists, like Le Boheck and Bardon, are cautious about whether to declare king penguins a rare piece of good news on climate change.
“When you’re competing for resources, a win for this species may mean a loss for another species,” says Clemson’s Youngflesh.
“This study shows that the king penguin may be the winner for now, which is great news, but climate change is underway and future changes in ocean currents, precipitation and temperature could undermine these gains,” said biologist Ignacio Juárez Martínez of the University of Oxford, who studied a variety of early bred penguins.
___
Associated Press climate and environment reporting receives funding from several private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP standard Please see below for our philanthropic efforts, list of supporters and areas funded. AP.org.
