Penguin tragedy as just two survive from colony of 40,000

Only two chicks remain from a colony of around 40,000 Adelie penguins following a “catastrophic breeding event.”

The World Wide Fund for Nature released a statement saying thousands of unhatched or dead chicks were found in East Antarctica after being devastated from starvation in scenes that were described as “Tarantino does Happy Feet.”

Due to increased rains and surprising amounts of sea ice, the colony had to venture farther for food, with chicks fighting to remain warm and dry throughout the breeding season.

This is the second time the Adelie penguins have suffered from famine, losing all chicks in 2013.

The region around the penguins has seen an increasing amount of sea ice, which is negatively affecting the species along with the deterioration of the Mertz Glacier, which began in 2010.

With climate change also making a large impact, researchers are hoping for a marine protected area in East Antarctica in order to combat the possible extinction of the Adelie penguins.