Chasing Guano

When scientist Heather Lynch came across a satellite image of the remote Danger Islands of the Antarctic Peninsula showing an enormous pink swath of land, she knew exactly what she was looking at

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Poop—or guano to be more specific. She also knew who it was from (penguins), how many there were (a lot!), and what they were eating (krill). With the deadline for proposing boundaries for protected lands in Antarctica fast approaching, Heather built a team for a dangerous expedition to the Danger Islands. Their mission was to count the members of the colony, determine how long they had been established there, and make a case for protecting this land too. Penguin populations are particularly important. As indicator species, they can alert scientists to larger environmental issues. Join Heather and her team on a fascinating exploration of these remote islands as they discover one of the world’s largest penguin super-colonies. Includes team photos from the expedition!