Huge Iceberg Threatens Antarctic Penguins

"The largest floating thing on the planet right now", an iceberg called B15A is threatening tens of thousands of penguins with starvation. Three science stations are in danger of getting their supply lines cut as well.

From: The Washington Times: Huge iceberg threatens Antarctic penguins

A remnant of the largest iceberg ever recorded is blocking Antarctica's McMurdo Sound, threatening tens of thousands of penguin chicks with starvation and cutting off a supply route for three science stations, a New Zealand official said yesterday.

The iceberg, known as B15A, measures about 1,200 square miles, said Lou Sanson, chief executive of the government scientific agency Antarctica New Zealand.

He called it "the largest floating thing on the planet right now" and said U.S. researchers estimate it contains enough water to supply Egypt's Nile River complex for 80 years.

Tens of thousands of the chicks could starve in coming weeks because the ice buildup in the sound has cut off their parents' access to waters where they catch their fish.

The iceberg is moving south. They are concerned it will stick on the Ross Ice Shelf and cause more problems. The science bases are not in immediate danger of running out of supplies.

First off - great avatar!

Interesting story, enough water contained in it to supply the Nile for 80 years? That's unbelievable.
I wonder if it would be possible to somehow place charges to brak it into smaller pieces thereby saving the penguins, and any other lifeform in risk of starvation?

Nuke it.

Can't they melt it or somthing?

Thats one huge iceburg. Imagine all the sno-cones you could make with that.

No it is not moving South. The source clearly states North that is the only way it can go considering it is in the Antartic.

The iceberg is located between McMurdo Sound and Franklin Island to the south and is moving north toward the sound at about 1.2 miles a day.

Originally posted by shots
No it is not moving South. The source clearly states North that is the only way it can go considering it is in the Antartic.

My bad. I see now it is of course moving north. Thanks.

Does anyone know if there will be some live coverage of this. I heard that in a few days it will hit Antarctica. Would be cool if they film it. There not sure yet what the impact will be, altough we should not be worried, but it's still interesting to see I gues. Remind me of the movie The Day After Tomorrow.

Originally posted by rai76
Does anyone know if there will be some live coverage of this. I heard that in a few days it will hit Antarctica. Would be cool if they film it. There not sure yet what the impact will be, altough we should not be worried, but it's still interesting to see I gues. Remind me of the movie The Day After Tomorrow.

It will be The Largest Demolition Derby On The Planet (ATS).
There will be a gigantic collision there sometime around Saturday...

From: Scoop: "NASA: Slow-Motion Collision Near McMurdo Imminent"

NASA satellites will be there to watch the show.

[edit on 2005/1/13 by Hellmutt]

Here´s another link:
Times Online: Ice crash means dam or blast for penguins
"B15A’s movements have been tracked by Nasa’s Aqua and Terra satellites, which could capture images of an event that the space agency desribes as “the largest demolition derby on the planet”."

I'm going to perform a plug at this point. Due to this ice shelf collapse, an entire colony of penguins died. That led to the making of the movie/documentary March of the Penguins in which photographers followed the arduous march of these penguins to their mating grounds and stayed with them through-out the entire process of returning their new chicks to the sea.

March of the Penguins

SEE THIS MOVIE! It is awesome. What a lesson in the commitment and natural drive of a species to propagate itself. You will come away from this documentary with feelings of being darned glad you weren't born one of these penguins, and at the same time extremely ashamed that the human species can't have the same commitment to its entirety and perpetuity.