# A question of penguins **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-penguins/316946 "2005-08-14T08:30:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FullForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/779978/32.png) [@FullForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FullForce)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-penguins/316946/1 "2005-08-14T08:30:20Z")
I know that global warming has negatively affected polar bears. What effect is it having on everyone’s favorite bird, the mighty penguin in his icy realm? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-penguins/316946/2 "2005-08-14T08:39:44Z")
Well first off nobody knows that global warming has had any effects on polar bears. That has been alleged by some, but the evidence and reasoning behind it is pretty thin. Certainly if global warming continues indefinitely it will have an impact, but it’s too early to say with any certanty thatit has had any impact yet. As for penguins, well therisn’t just a penguin, ther are lots of them. Many of them feed and nest in temperate and even subtropical regions of the southern continents. I knows that an Australian or African penguin seems odd if you aren’t used to the idea, but nontheless penguins live on those continents. For those penguins that do live in the Arctic regions it’s very hard to predict what the effects of dramatic climate change might be. Those regions support penguins precisely because the ocean currents make the arctic waters very fertile and so they produce a lot of seafood. Long term warming will disrupt those currents, which might drive the penguins to extinction or it might just force them to find other feeding grounds. As with polar bears it’s really too early to say with any certainty if there has been any impact yet. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-penguins/316946/3 "2005-08-14T10:24:52Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > For those penguins that do live in the Arctic regions it’s very hard to predict what the effects of dramatic climate change might be. Those regions support penguins precisely because the ocean currents make the arctic waters very fertile and so they produce a lot of seafood. Long term warming will disrupt those currents, which might drive the penguins to extinction or it might just force them to find other feeding grounds. You’re right that there are penguins in Australia, but there aren’t any in the arctic regions. (Except perhaps in zoos.) They are pretty much limited to the soutern hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-penguins/316946/4 "2005-08-14T14:48:34Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > You’re right that there are penguins in Australia, but there aren’t any in the arctic regions. (Except perhaps in zoos.) They are pretty much limited to the soutern hemisphere. Exclusively native to the S.H. would be more accurate. There are penguins who live on the Galapagos who can be found occasionally on the other side of the equator, but only to feed. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-penguins/316946/5 "2005-08-14T21:58:08Z")
D’oh. That should of course have been **Ant** arctic regions. :smack: