There's a robot roaming Antarctica. Its target? Emperor penguins.
Emperor penguins are the world's biggest penguin species and live exclusively in the Antarctic.
The robot, named Echo, is part of a 30-year study on this species, which has been chosen by scientists as a critical "sentinel" species. This is because, as a major predator, their experiences reflect broader trends.
According to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, via the World Economic Forum, Echo is only one meter tall, which is just about 3 feet, keeping it very close to the ground so that "it can get close to the animals without scaring them." It then scans electronic tags to provide information about the species' habits.
The penguins are micro-chipped as chicks by scientists. This is apparently easier than it sounds because they are "quite goofy," Céline Le Bohec, researcher at the Scientific Centre of Monaco and the University of Strasbourg's Hubert Curien Multidisciplinary Institute in France, told CNN.
Microchipping research subjects is a harmless process similar to microchipping cats and dogs.
Echo's smart design gets up close and personal with penguin colonies, delivering incredible footage using a 360-degree camera and world-changing insights about the health of this important species and its habitat. The robot is controlled remotely by researchers and can also autonomously follow a programmed path.
Researching these remarkable birds is vital work that directly affects our shared future. Penguins live in some of the most sensitive ecosystems on Earth; they rely on stable sea ice, healthy fish populations, and predictable weather patterns.
They are called "sentinels" because when their populations rise or fall, it often signals deeper changes in the climate and ocean systems that ultimately affect us all.
Citing The Conversation and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the WEF noted that 98% of the Antarctic habitat is "under threat" by a shifting climate, and that Emperor penguins could be "quasi-extinct" by 2100.
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It's about time! ✅ Even as the world falls behind goals set by the Paris Climate Agreement, there is still a chance to meet global temperature limits that will safeguard our futures if every country re-commits to and meets its goals.
By tracking penguin migration, breeding success, and feeding habits, scientists can gather information about melting ice, shifting ocean currents, and declining food sources.
This data helps us understand the speed and scale of climate change, which has the potential to guide global policies that protect all life on Earth.
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