An Everchanging Antarctica: Penguins and Seals at Risk

The emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal are now both Endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Climate change in Antarctica is leading to changes in sea ice that are projected to cause the emperor penguin population to halve by the 2080s, while reduced food availability has already driven a 50% reduction in the Antarctic fur seal population since 2000. The southern elephant seal is also now at risk of extinction due to disease.

One of Roger Tory Peterson’s favorite places in the world to visit was Antarctica. He visited around a dozen times and illustrated many of its inhabitants. He always used his art as a means to introduce people to wildlife they might not see or think about in everyday life, but should steward and care for.

How have the lives of these penguins and seals changed since Roger Tory Peterson’s time, and what can we do about it? Learn more about the changing populations in Antarctica through the lens of Roger Tory Peterson’s artworks.

Roger Tory Peterson. Elephant Seal. Ink, 1955.