Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
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A trillion-ton iceberg, A23a, is drifting toward South Georgia Island, posing a potential risk to its fragile ecosystem. Scientists are closely monitoring its movements as it nears the remote British territory.
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Described as a "Game of Thrones-style wall," the iceberg is 130 feet tall above water, with 90% of its mass hidden beneath the surface. The British Antarctic Survey’s Andrew Meijers called it "a dramatic sight from horizon to horizon."
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The iceberg originally broke off Antarctica in 1986 and remained trapped in sea ice for decades. It only began moving freely a few years ago, following a well-known iceberg "highway" toward South Georgia.
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Experts predict two outcomes: the iceberg may get lodged in shallow waters near South Georgia or avoid collision entirely due to ocean currents. The iceberg’s trajectory will become clearer in the next two to four weeks.
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The iceberg could affect millions of penguins and seals on the island. If lodged, it may force adult penguins to swim further for food, reducing the amount they bring back, potentially increasing chick and pup mortality rates.
Moving at less than one mile per hour, the iceberg advances one meter every three to seven seconds. Though slow, its sheer size makes it an imposing and impactful presence in the region.
While concerns for penguins and seals are valid, researchers like Ted Scambos from the University of Colorado note that the Southern Ocean ecosystem has evolved to withstand such events over hundreds of thousands of years.
Although iceberg calving is a natural process, human-caused climate change is accelerating its frequency. Warmer temperatures and increased freshwater in oceans are intensifying these events, according to Meijers.
The iceberg’s path mirrors routes recorded by explorers like Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, demonstrating that such movements have long been part of the Antarctic ecosystem.