More Emperor Penguins

A researcher from the University of Tasmania recently found a colony of about 5,000 adult Emperor Penguins and 2,500 chicks in Antarctica. The birds live on Siple Island, where previous explorers reported finding dirty ice.

Researcher Mary-Anne Lea and expedition leader Tim Soper found the colony while traveling on the Russian icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov during December 2004 and January 2005.

"This is the 46th colony that we know of in Antarctica," said Dr. Lea, who is having a rare season off after 10 summers down south ("It's a pretty addictive place").

"There are probably more of them in that region, but no one's ever been able to put in the time to look for them," she said.

"That stretch of coast is very rarely travelled."