Penguin poo could be making Antarctic snow melt faster

Researchers analyzed 111 snow samples from nine coastal sites along the West Antarctic Peninsula during the 2024-2025 summer. They compared three types: green snow, colored by green algae; red snow, colored by red algae; and clean snow, with no visible algal coloring.

Green snow had a median phosphate concentration of 114 micromoles per liter, around 10 times the level in red snow and 70 times that in clean snow.

Wildlife, including penguins and other seabirds, brings nutrients to coastal snow through droppings known as guano. The study found that areas with stronger wildlife influence also had higher phosphate levels and greater algae abundance.

Algae darken snow, causing it to absorb more sunlight and melt faster. However, the study did not directly measure snowmelt or prove that penguin droppings alone caused the larger algae blooms. The researchers say further studies are needed to understand how nutrient deposits and algae growth interact over time.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Magellanic penguins from Argentina’s Cabo Virgenes can travel up to 3,500 kilometres during seasonal migration, while some birds remain near the colony throughout the year.