南极洲危险群岛大惊喜

Scientists have found more than 1.5 million penguins！ They are on the Danger Islands off the coast of Antarctica（南极洲）. Huge groups of penguins nest1 there. How did people miss all those penguins until now？

The Danger Islands are surrounded2 by thick sea ice most of the time. Few ships can get through. So scientists used satellites（衛星）to view the islands from space， and they saw a lot of penguin poop3！ Where there is penguin poop， there must be penguins！

A team reached the island and saw Adélie penguins（阿德勒企鹅）everywhere！ They used a drone（无人机）to take pictures of the birds from the air. They put many photos together to make large maps. Computers used the maps to count penguins sitting on their nests. Scientists also walked around and counted nests to make sure the computer was right.

The number of Adélie penguins has fallen in many places because of climate4 change. They need cold temperatures and sea ice to survive5. The climate in the Danger Islands is more suitable6 than in other parts of Antarctica. Finding these penguins might give people a reason to protect these islands. That would keep the penguins out of danger！

科学家们在南极洲偏远的危险群岛，发现有超过150万只企鹅栖息于此！这片庞大的企鹅“殖民地”是如何隐藏至今的呢？

危险群岛一年大部分时间都被厚厚的海冰覆盖，船只很难进入。于是，科学家们利用卫星进行观测，竟发现了大量企鹅粪便。这无疑暴露了企鹅们的踪迹。

科学小队随后抵达群岛，果然发现了漫山遍野的阿德勒企鹅。他们借助无人机从空中拍摄照片，然后将照片拼接在一起，用电脑统计企鹅数量。科学家们甚至采用“人肉”数数法，来确保电脑的计算无误。

受气候变化影响，近年来全球阿德勒企鹅的数量一直在下降。它们需要低温与海冰维持生存，而危险群岛的地理环境十分理想。也许，这一发现能够促使人们积极保护群岛的生态环境，帮助企鹅远离生存危机。

Adélie penguins live in the ocean and on the ice most of the time. They eat krill（磷虾）—small animals that look like shrimp. They eat fish， too. Once a year， they go on land to give birth. The females lay two eggs in a nest made of rocks. Both parents take turns caring for their young.

企鹅小知识

阿德勒企鹅主要在海洋与冰层栖息，以磷虾和鱼类为食。它们每年上岸繁殖，巢由石头堆砌而成。雌企鹅每次产下两个蛋，而孵蛋和哺育的责任则由父母双方轮流负责。