via Truemors by Colby on 7/19/08
Penguins washing ashore in Brazil from Antarctica is a fairly common occurrence, apparently, but the last two months have seen more than 400 beachings, many of them young, dead birds. Reasons range from offshore drilling pollution to overfishing to increasingly hostile weather due to global warming. Young birds are particularly vulnerable to changes in the environment since they might not be able to battle the stronger currents where they are being forced to search for food. Pollution and warming may also be producing weaker penguins according to Erli Costa of Rio de Janeiro's Federal University. Birds who do survive are taken to the local zoo, then airlifted back home.