World’s Largest Iceberg Looms Over Remote Island, Penguins, and Seals
The world’s largest iceberg, estimated to be the size of Rhode Island, is slowly making its way towards South Georgia Island, home to millions of penguins and seals. The trillion-ton slab of ice, named A23a, is expected to approach the island in the next two to four weeks, where it may get stuck or be guided around by currents.
Though the situation is not considered a major threat, scientists are monitoring the situation, as the iceberg’s presence could impact the island’s fragile ecosystem. The penguins and seals are in their summer breeding cycle, with many dependent on their parents for food. If the icebergs block their usual pathways, the adults may have to swim farther to find food, using up more energy and bringing back less to their young. This could lead to increased mortality rates, as seen in the past.
However, overall the ecosystem in the Southern Ocean is resilient and has evolved to cope with these icebergs over hundreds of thousands of years. The scientists are not too concerned about significant damage from the iceberg, but they do expect it to break up into smaller pieces and melt over time.
The iceberg is a natural process, but its increased frequency is linked to human-caused climate change and rising sea levels. The ice mass is approximately 130 feet tall and 10 times larger below the surface, with a speed of about one meter every three to seven seconds, making it a slow-moving spectacle.
A British Antarctic Survey physical oceanographer, Andrew Meijers, described the iceberg as a “Game of Thrones-style wall of ice that towers above the ship, with waves breaking against it and sunlight passing through, making it a dramatic sight.” As the icebergs are a normal part of the ocean’s natural process, this event is more of a spectacle than a major threat, with the penguins and seals ultimately adapting to the changes.