Massive Iceberg A23a Drifts Towards Penguin Habitat on South Georgia Island

By Staff, Agencies

The world's largest iceberg, A23a, a colossal slab of ice standing 40 meters tall and weighing nearly one trillion tons, is slowly drifting toward South Georgia Island, a remote British territory near Antarctica.

The iceberg, larger in area than the Australian Capital Territory, broke free from its sea floor grounding six weeks ago.

Scientists warn that if A23a becomes lodged near the island, it could disrupt the feeding of penguins during their summer breeding season, potentially leading to starvation among chicks.

Calving icebergs are a natural phenomenon, but researchers like Andrew Meijers of the British Antarctic Survey note they are becoming more frequent due to climate change and increased freshwater flow into oceans.

Meijers, who observed the iceberg in December 2023, highlighted its immense scale, with most of its mass submerged underwater.

Experts predict that within two to four weeks, A23a may either become trapped in shallow waters near South Georgia or be redirected by ocean currents.

The iceberg is also showing signs of fragmentation due to melting, wind, and wave activity, which could result in smaller icebergs posing hazards to shipping.

Originally detaching from Antarctica in 1986, A23a had been immobilized in dense sea ice for decades before breaking loose and resuming its drift in December 2023.