A China-supported penguin sanctuary on Inexpressible Island in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, has recorded over 29,000 pairs of Adelie penguins flocking there to breed this year, according to researchers of China's Antarctic expedition team.

Near China's Qinling Station, the country's fifth research station in Antarctica, the penguin sanctuary was jointly established by China, Italy, and South Korea in 2019.

With the rich maritime biological resources and near-pristine ecological environment, the sanctuary has become a perfect breeding place for many Adelie penguins.

Adelie penguins are the most common penguin species in the Antarctica, which can be easily distinguished by the black head, the white ring surrounding the eye and the short beak.

Zhang Qianyi, a bird researcher at Beijing Normal University, came to the Qinling Station in November last year as a member of China's 41st Antarctic expedition team to observe and study these creatures.

"The penguin sanctuary is about one kilometer long and 300 to 400 meters wide. Every year, around 20,000 to 30,000 pairs of Adelie penguins come here to breed. This year, we recorded over 29,000 pairs. Research on surface sediments in the Ross Sea region suggests that Adelie penguins have been breeding on Inexpressible Island for more than 7,000 years," said Zhang.

Given the sanctuary's large size, Zhang noted that drones are very useful for counting the penguin breeding pairs without interfering with the normal activities of these flightless birds.

"This time, I flew drones at least 60 meters above to avoid disturbing the penguins during their breeding. We used the aerial footage captured by the drones to count the penguins. In the zoomed-in images, each black dot represents a penguin nest. Since the penguins lie on their stomachs to hatch their eggs, they appear black when viewed from above," said Zhang.

Since arriving at the Qinling Station, Zhang has visited the nearby penguin sanctuary more than 10 times within over a month to collect samples of penguin egg shells, feces, and other materials, without disturbing the penguins' natural behavior.

By observing and studying these common flightless seabirds in Antarctica, researchers are gaining valuable insights about Antarctic wildlife, which contributes to the ongoing scientific research effort in polar regions.

"The penguin sanctuary was jointly established by China, Italy, and South Korea in 2019. All three countries have an obligation to conduct research and monitoring here. Scientifically, we know that Antarctic animals, especially penguins, which are numerous and easy to observe on land, are highly sensitive to climate change. By studying Adelie penguins, we gain insights into how Antarctic wildlife is adapting to climate change," said Zhang.