WASHINGTON, April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Penguin
lovers around the world will unite to observe World Penguin Day on
April 25th, and The Pew Charitable
Trusts is joining the celebration by announcing the launch of the
first global effort aimed at protecting penguins wherever they
live.
Eighteen species of penguin range from the cold of Antarctica to the equatorial heat of the
Galapagos Islands. Interference from humans in the form of
pollution, habitat degradation, introduced predators, and
overfishing is affecting the health of penguins. Climate change,
which melts and shifts sea ice, adds to the challenges facing these
birds. Most species are in decline, according to the International
Union for Conservation of Nature.
"Penguin protection is critical, not just for these iconic
species, but for entire ocean ecosystems," said Andrea Kavanagh,
director of Pew's global penguin conservation and Southern Ocean
work. "Penguins are sentinels of ocean health, and changes to their
populations can indicate trouble for other species that depend on a
robust food web."
Pew will work to restore and protect breeding and feeding
grounds in the coastal waters of countries throughout the Southern
Hemisphere, as well as advocate to establish large, no-take marine
reserves in Antarctica's Southern
Ocean.
As a member of the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, Pew is actively
engaged in the effort to establish large-scale marine protections
in the Southern Ocean. Although reserves do not mitigate the
impacts of climate change, they help species such as penguins build
resilience, abundance and diversity, and provide refuge from
increased fishing pressures.
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources, or CCAMLR, is the consensus-based international body
charged with governing these waters. Comprised of 24 member
countries and the European Union, the commission is considering
proposals for marine reserves in the Ross Sea and waters off
East Antarctica. At this October's
annual meeting, CCAMLR will debate the proposals for the fourth
time. Pew hopes that this year, decisions will be made.
Last year, the international community could not agree on a plan
to protect some of Antarctica's valuable penguin habitat because of
objections from Russia. But these waters and these habitats must be
preserved.
"The Antarctic Treaty was signed at the height of the Cold War
to protect the entire continent. Now it's the Southern Ocean's turn
for an international conservation commitment," said Kavanagh. "We
all depend on a healthy ocean for survival. Today's political
differences should not stand in the way of protecting penguins and
vulnerable sea life."
Notes to editors:
The Antarctic Treaty was signed in December 1959 by Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New
Zealand, Norway,
South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It entered into force in
1961 and emphasizes Antarctica as
a place of peace and for shared scientific research.
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
Living Resources, or CCAMLR, was established in 1982 to
conserve marine life. The commission's Conservation Measure 91-04
provides a framework for the establishment of marine protected
areas. Learn more:
http://archive.ccamlr.org/pu/E/e_pubs/cm/11-12/91-04.pdf.
For more information on Pew's global penguin conservation
work, including video, an interactive map of penguin species, and
ways to take action, visit www.pewenvironment.org/penguins.
To learn more about Pew's work on Southern Ocean issues
and at CCAMLR, visit www.pewenvironment.org/SouthernOcean.
The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge
to solve today's most challenging problems. Learn more at
www.pewtrusts.org
CONTACT: Leah Weiser,
202-540-6304, lweiser@pewtrusts.org
Related Link:
Global Penguin Conservation Campaign
Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAJ7g9vX6r0
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140421/76814
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140421/76813
SOURCE The Pew Charitable Trusts