As of 2026, the emperor penguin is listed as an endangered species by the IUCN. Since the species was first assessed in 1988, the IUCN classified the emperor penguin as a species of least concern. However, the species’ global population fell by 10 percent between 2009 and 2018, with some colonies suffering even more severe declines during the 2020s. IUCN officials blamed these decreases on shrinking sea-ice coverage due to climate changes associated with global warming. Sea ice is critical for breeding, feeding, and serving as a dry refuge when they lose their feathers during their annual molt.
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