Emperor penguins may live in some of the most remote and environmentally pristine regions in the world, but that doesn't mean they're safe from the impacts of a warming planet.

Scientists previously estimated that the total emperor penguin population declined about 10% across all of Antarctica over the past decade and a half. The latest survey included a region covering the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea.

Emperor penguin populations are declining more rapidly than previously predicted, according to recent research published in Communications: Earth & Environmentand supported by satellite data. This study warns that the emperor penguin population has decreased by nearly 22% in just 15 years,