The lives of emperor penguins are closely tied to the existence of
sea ice. In late winter, emperors gather to breed on the sea ice
surrounding Antarctica so they can fledge their chicks in early
summer, before the ice melts from under their feet. Emperor penguins
may soon be facing similar threats to their survival as polar bears
face in the Arctic. As a result of global warming, the ice may melt
before emperor chicks are fully grown.
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