Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 2 hrs ago
Zavodovski Island loses largest penguin colony title after chinstrap decline
Researchers found that Zavodovski Island in the South Sandwich Islands has lost more than half a million chinstrap penguins.
The island, near Antarctica, was once considered the world’s largest penguin colony, but that title now belongs to Cape Adare in the Ross Sea.
Surveys show occupied chinstrap nests fell by 63% between 2011 and 2025.
The decline began before a 2016 volcanic eruption, so researchers say the eruption is not to blame.
They link the losses instead to warming Southern Ocean waters, which have shifted Antarctic krill away from the cooler waters where chinstraps feed.
Macaroni penguins on the island have fared better, in part because they can eat other kinds of prey.
The researchers say the decline, alongside losses elsewhere, could push chinstrap penguins into the Endangered category on the IUCN Red List.
Zavodovski Island has lost its title as the world’s largest penguin colony after a major decline in chinstrap penguins.
A British Antarctic Survey study found occupied chinstrap nests fell by 63% from 2011 to 2025.
Researchers say warming waters have shifted Antarctic krill away from the island, disrupting the penguins’ food supply.
Macaroni penguins increased by 28% from 2011 to 2016 and have remained stable since.
The study says declines could contribute to chinstrap penguins being classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- Who
- Chinstrap penguins on Zavodovski Island, studied by British Antarctic Survey researchers.
- What
- Occupied chinstrap nests fell by 63%, and the island lost its title as the world’s largest penguin colony.
- When
- The decline measured by the study spans 2011 to 2025. The study was published on October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Zavodovski Island in the South Sandwich Islands.
- Why
- Researchers attribute the decline to climate-driven changes in the Southern Ocean that have shifted krill southwards.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This is a worrying decline for chinstrap penguins, which have specialist diets and specific ocean temperature preferences.
Our tracking data shows they prefer to forage in cooler waters to the northwest of the island, where they would expect to find Antarctic krill – the prey that make up the bulk of their diet.
The study’s data show the chinstrap decline began by this year.
A volcanic eruption deposited smoke and ash over the volcano’s lower slopes.
Occupied chinstrap nests on the island declined by 63%.
MercoPress reported on the research published in Current Biology.
- Island
- Zavodovski Island, South Sandwich Islands
- Chinstrap nests
- Occupied nests declined by 63% from 2011 to 2025
- Macaroni penguins
- Population increased by 28% from 2011 to 2016, then remained stable
- Research team
- British Antarctic Survey
- Journal
- Current Biology
Sources
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