Comments for Penguin Poop »
Posted By Eagle_Eye 6 months, 2 weeks ago in Science & TechnologyWASHINGTON (June 1) - Scientists looking for lost penguins stumbled upon an effective method: Follow their poop from space.
In remote Antarctica, about one-and-a-half times bigger than the United States, researchers have been unable to figure out just where colonies of emperor penguins live and if their population is in peril.
It's harder still because emperor penguins, featured in the film "March of the Penguins," breed on sea ice, which scientists say will shrink significantly in the future because of global warming.
Because the large penguins stay on the same ice for months, their poop stains make them stand out from space.
Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey found this out by accident when they were looking at satellite images of their bases. A reddish-brown streak on the colorless ice was right where they knew a colony was, said survey mapping scientist Peter Fretwell.
The stain was penguin poo — particularly smelly stuff — and it gave researchers an idea to search for brown stains to find penguins. They found the same telltale trail, usually dark enough to spot from space, all over the continent, said Fretwell by telephone from England.
Read Full Story at news.aol.com »
RSS Join the Discussion
+ Add CommentComments So Far: 15
-
-
-
BronxBomberComment removed: Retracted by user
-
BronxBomberComment removed: Retracted by user1 Reply
-
-
-
100%
cowboygrandpa6 months, 2 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
E_E:
Reply
When I am out hiking or camping I always check for scat. It is helpful to know what animals have been around.
Ya don't want to pitch your tent in an area where bears, or mountain lions frequent. That might get a little scary. LOL
Good article.-
-
hefaa1Comment removed: Hard Banned
-
-
-
-
BronxBomberComment removed: Retracted by user
-
-
100%
Eagle_Eye6 months, 2 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
An interesting fact though, wild animals never ever poop in their nest or den, we always leave the area so that no other animal knows we are there by the scent. Humans are the only animals to go in their nests.
Reply
Most mammals will poop and pee in "water" so that other animals can't smell that they have been in the area. Birds just fly to another tree and shoot the shiz. -
-
loading ...
Add a Comment
Sign In With Your Propeller Account
Please keep your comments relevant to this story.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.