Iceberg size of Luxembourg threatens marine life
BBC reports that a vast iceberg that broke off eastern Antarctic earlier this month could disrupt marine life in the region, scientists have warned.
They say the iceberg, which is 78km long and up to 39km wide, could have consequences for the area's colonies of emperor penguins.
The emblematic birds may be forced to travel further afield to find food.
The iceberg calved from the Mertz Glacier Tongue after it was was hit by another huge iceberg, called B9B.
"It is a very active area for algae growth, especially in springtime," explained Dr Neal Young from the Australia-based Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-operative Research Centre.
"There are emperor penguin colonies about 200-300km away to the west. They come to this area to feed, and seals in the area also come to get access to the open water," he told BBC News.
He suggested that a change in the availability of open water could affect the rate of food production, which would have an impact on the amount of wildlife it could sustain.
"If the area gets choked up (with ice), then they would have to go elsewhere and look for food."
The calving of the iceberg, which has an estimated mass of 700-800bn tonnes, has changed the shaped of the local geography, Dr Young explained.
BBC News
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