A China-supported penguin sanctuary on Inexpressible Island in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, has recorded over 29,000 pairs of Adelie penguins flocking there to breed this year, according to researchers of China's Antarctic expedition team.
Near China's Qinling Station, the country's fifth research station in Antarctica, the penguin sanctuary was jointly established by China, Italy, and South Korea in 2019.
With the rich maritime biological resources and near-pristine ecological environment, the sanctuary has become a perfect breeding place for many Adelie penguins.
Adelie penguins are the most common penguin species in the Antarctica, which can be easily distinguished by the black head, the white ring surrounding the eye and the short beak.
Zhang Qianyi, a bird researcher at Beijing Normal University, came to the Qinling Station in November last year as a member of China's 41st Antarctic expedition team to observe and study these creatures.
"The penguin sanctuary is about one kilometer long and 300 to 400 meters wide. Every year, around 20,000 to 30,000 pairs of Adelie penguins come here to breed. This year, we recorded over 29,000 pairs. Research on surface sediments in the Ross Sea region suggests that Adelie penguins have been breeding on Inexpressible Island for more than 7,000 years," said Zhang.
Given the sanctuary's large size, Zhang noted that drones are very useful for counting the penguin breeding pairs without interfering with the normal activities of these flightless birds.
"This time, I flew drones at least 60 meters above to avoid disturbing the penguins during their breeding. We used the aerial footage captured by the drones to count the penguins. In the zoomed-in images, each black dot represents a penguin nest. Since the penguins lie on their stomachs to hatch their eggs, they appear black when viewed from above," said Zhang.
Since arriving at the Qinling Station, Zhang has visited the nearby penguin sanctuary more than 10 times within over a month to collect samples of penguin egg shells, feces, and other materials, without disturbing the penguins' natural behavior.
By observing and studying these common flightless seabirds in Antarctica, researchers are gaining valuable insights about Antarctic wildlife, which contributes to the ongoing scientific research effort in polar regions.
"The penguin sanctuary was jointly established by China, Italy, and South Korea in 2019. All three countries have an obligation to conduct research and monitoring here. Scientifically, we know that Antarctic animals, especially penguins, which are numerous and easy to observe on land, are highly sensitive to climate change. By studying Adelie penguins, we gain insights into how Antarctic wildlife is adapting to climate change," said Zhang.
China-supported Antarctic penguin sanctuary sees over 29,000 breeding pairs
Colombians are heading to the polls on Sunday to elect their next president. The country's constitution prevents the current President, Gustavo Petro, from running for a second term.
Yet, many see this election as a referendum on the policies of Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first leftist president.
There are 14 candidates on Sunday's ballot, but the polls show it will likely be a tight three-way race.
The frontrunner is Ivan Cepeda, a 63-year-old three-term senator, representing President Gustavo Petro's party, the Historic Pact coalition. Cepeda has vowed to defend and deepen Petro's progressive reforms and social justice policies to reduce inequality. He also promises to continue the government's controversial "Total Peace" strategy to negotiate the disarmament of remaining guerrilla groups and criminal gangs.
"True prosperity comes from equality, from access to rights, and from transforming the peripheral and excluded territories of the rural world," Cepeda said at a campaign rally.
Running as a political outsider and independent is Abelardo de la Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer, nicknamed "The Tiger." He has presented himself as the "authority and order" candidate who will reduce state spending by up to 40 percent in the next four years.
"(First,) we must fight insecurity. Colombia is suffering today from a pandemic of insecurity. Crime is out of control: extortion, cattle theft, smuggling, drug trafficking," he said to his supporters at an election event.
According to polls, the third candidate with strong support is Paloma Valencia. The 48-year-old senator represents the Democratic Center party led by popular former President Alvaro Uribe Velez. Her candidacy is backed by politicians and economists who are concerned with growing levels of public debt. They want to see a return to more conservative fiscal policies.
"I don't want to be a president who governs alone, locked away in glass offices. I want to be a president who stands with citizens, who embraces them, who reaches out to them, who has a team, and who governs to transform Colombia," the candidate said at the campaign event
According to polls earlier in the year, many voters are expressing concerns about unemployment, rising living costs, corruption, and, above all, public security.
The election comes after a turbulent year that the International Committee of the Red Cross has called "the worst humanitarian consequences of armed conflict over the past decade."
"(We arrive at this election in a tense atmosphere - tense) because of the economic situation, because of the security situation, and because of the narratives that have been built around the country's main problems. On top of that, emotions, ideas and social media have all helped raise (the tone,)" said Eduardo Velosa, associate professor from International Studies Javeriana University.
If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election will be held between the top two finishers on June 21st.
Colombians prepare to choose their next president
