麻豆社

A new colony of nesting Gentoo penguins has been spotted at a surprisingly southerly point in Antarctica and offers clues to the pace of climate change.

Louise Casson, who's leading the expedition, spoke from their boat in the Weddell Sea. She says that these are the first sightings of this colony, and is one of the first times nests have been spotted so far south. She notes that the penguins usually prefer a slightly warmer climate and that this area has previously been too icy for them. She goes on to say that signs like this show how climate change is affecting many different parts of the Antarctic and that its affect on 'sentinel species' like penguins, show how fast the environment is changing.

Photo: Gentoo penguins in the Antarctic Credit: Getty Images