Emperor Penguins are now a Threatened Species

Photo via NBC

Our favorite chilly friends are officially a threatened species. The great emperor penguin, living on the ice caps of Antarctica, is losing its home to climate change.

Right now, they are not in immediate danger of going extinct, but research over 40 years of satellite images show it could be creeping up.

The United States has protected these penguins with the 1973 Endangered Species Act, which has previously brought back many species from near extinction, including our very own bald eagle. Emperor penguins are legally protected now, which has frustrated several drilling and mining industries.

Learn more at NBC News.