Huge Iceberg Floats toward South Georgia, Putting Wildlife at Risk

The world's largest iceberg¹ is floating toward² the island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean. Scientists fear the iceberg could crash into the island and block major feeding areas for a large population of penguins³ and seals.

The huge iceberg is named A68a. It broke away from Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf in 2017. It has since has floated toward South Georgia, a British overseas territory.

Satellite images show the iceberg has remained in one piece. It is estimated⁵ to be about 150 kilometers long and 48 kilometers wide. It is traveling at one kilometer an hour and is on a path to hit South Georgia in around 30 days.

The British Antarctic⁴ Survey says it is concerned that if the iceberg hits the island, it could prevent the penguins and seals from reaching food supplies.

Professor Geraint Tarling is an ecologist with the Antarctic Survey. He says right now is the time of year when seals and penguins spend a lot of time caring for their young. This means the distance that parents have to travel to find food is important.

"That means they have to go a lot further, they have to go around the iceberg, or to actually go further to find sources of food," Tarling told VOA. "And that time is quite critical at this particular period of their life cycle."

Ecologists say an iceberg crash would also disturb materials settled on the seabed, possibly polluting the surrounding seas. As the iceberg melts, it would also release⁶ large amounts of fresh water into the ocean. This could affect krill populations that are a major source of food for the island's wildlife.

Tarling says the iceberg could remain for 10 years and change the area's whole ecosystem⁷. "These are globally significant⁸ populations of these species⁹. If these species fail in this particular area, then the numbers globally are going to go down quite dramatically¹⁰," he said.

The breaking off of icebergs¹¹ from Antarctica is a natural process. But the process is changing with climate change. "What we're seeing with models and some observations now is the rate at which this is happening is increasing. And so, this might become more of a usual thing into the future," Tarling said.

The iceberg also could damage South Georgia's valuable fishing industry. Fishers pay for the rights to catch Patagonian toothfish, icefish and krill in waters off the island.

Officials are hoping that changing weather patterns could direct the iceberg out into the open ocean, where it would, in time, break up and melt.

Words in This Story

iceberg – n. a very large piece of ice floating in the ocean

shelf – n. a flat area of rock, sand, etc., especially underwater

disturb – v. to change something by moving it from its original position

ecosystem – n. everything that exists in a particular environment

species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce off spring

dramatically – adv. very sudden or notable

1 iceberg   

n.冰山，流冰，冷冰冰的人

参考例句：

• The ship hit an iceberg and went under.船撞上一座冰山而沉没了。
• The glacier calved a large iceberg.冰河崩解而形成一个大冰山。

2 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

3 penguins   

n.企鹅( penguin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why can penguins live in cold environment? 为什么企鹅能生活在寒冷的环境中？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Whales, seals, penguins, and turtles have flippers. 鲸、海豹，企鹅和海龟均有鳍形肢。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 Antarctic   

adj.南极(区)的；n.(the A-)南极洲，南极圈

参考例句：

• The Antarctic is a mountainous area.南极洲是一个多山的地区。
• It is well known that penguins live in the Antarctic.企鹅生活在南极洲是众所周知的。

5 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

6 release   

vt.发布，发表，发行；释放，放开

参考例句：

• After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
• This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。

7 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

8 significant   

adj.相当数量的；意义重大的；意味深长的

参考例句：

• Your success today may be significant for your whole future.你今天的成功对你的整个未来可能是重要的。
• She cast him a significant smile.她向他投去意味深长的一笑。

9 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

10 dramatically   

ad.显著地

参考例句：

• His quality of life has improved dramatically since the operation. 手术后他的生活质量大大改善了。
• Our way of life has changed dramatically over the last ten years. 在过去10年里我们的生活方式发生了巨大的变化。

11 icebergs   

n.冰山，流冰( iceberg的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The drift of the icebergs in the sea endangers the ships. 海上冰山的漂流危及船只的安全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The icebergs towered above them. 冰山高耸于他们上方。 来自辞典例句