These birds are on a wing and a prayer. Emperor penguins, indigenous to Antarctica, are now at a frighteningly high risk of death by drowning due to drastic climate change. The prognosis for the black-and-white avians — the largest of their species,

The emperor penguin has been declared an endangered species as climate change​ pushes the icon of Antarctica a step closer to extinction, the global authority on threatened wildlife says.

Using remote sensing, researchers found that the overall population of emperor penguins declined by nearly 10% between 2009 and 2018. On top of this habitat loss, populations of emperor penguins' prey, such as krill and fish, are also declining.

Get the story behind these social penguins who breed during the harshest time of year in the most inhospitable region on Earth.

Emperor penguins—the tallest, most iconic penguin species on Earth—have officially been classified as endangered after rapid population declines driven by vanishing sea ice. The International Union