Antarctica's Adélie penguin population could be in danger of dropping 60 percent by the end of this century according to a recent study done out of the University of Delaware.

For years, the warming of our oceans has helped the little guys out, re-exposing breeding grounds that had been covered in ice forcing the penguins to abandon their previous habitats. However, researchers have found that the warming conditions may have taken a turn for the worst.

“It is only in recent decades that we know Adélie penguins population declines are associated with warming, which suggests that many regions of Antarctica have warmed too much and that further warming is no longer positive for the species,” said Megan Cimino, the lead researched.

The group used data collection form satellites, habitat suitability models, and future climate projections coming to the conclusion that warm sea surface temperature (SST), is detrimental to Adélie penguins.

Although their results do not specify a cause and effect relationship, it does focus on how the climate is likely to lead to conditions that are unsustainable for the penguins by the end of the 21st century.

“Studies like this are important because they focus our attention on areas where a species is most vulnerable to change,” concluded Cimino. “The results can be used for management; they can have implications for other species that live in the area and for other ecosystem processes.”

There is a glimmer of hope for our cute little friends. The researchers reported that climate change will impact the penguins on a site specific basis, and they have identified possible refugia (areas with relatively unaltered climate change) that could still be around beyond 2099. These places could be the saving grace for the Adélie penguins but more research needs to be done to make sure.