January 2nd, 2009
Urgent: global warming may threaten golf glove business
A raft of Magellan penguins have turned up in Brazil thousands of miles north of their usual ocean haunts. Some scientists blame the changing ocean temps and currents cuased by global warming. About half of the birds have been saved despite their wayward ways.
How does global warming affect these penguins? It changes both the surface temp of the Atlantic. It’s now one degree warmer than in past decades. That may force the birds’ anchovy dinners to dive deeper. Thus the birds kept migrating northin search fo anchovies and found none, starving an dtranding many. Scientists observing the penguins say they waters around Patagonia where they breed are now far less salty. That’s due to melting glaciers pouring more fresh water into the nearshore ocean. Also the rainfall in that region is increasing.
Golf gloves? Well, over twenty years ago a Japanese company wanted to kill the birds and use their elastic skin for high-priced golf gloves. However, Argentina turned the birds; nesting area into a preserve to protect them.
A newsman since 1969, Harry Fuller has worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET and was founding news director at TechTV. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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