Professor Mary-Ann Lea joins Radio Marinara ahead of World Penguin Day to unpack the IUCN’s recent decision to list emperor penguins and Antarctic fur seals as Endangered on the Red List. The decision follows mounting evidence of rapid decline across parts of the Southern Ocean, with climate change, sea-ice loss and shifting ecosystems reshaping Antarctica faster than scientists can study it.

Drawing on three decades of research into Antarctic ecosystems, Mary-Ann reflects on how dramatically conditions have changed over her career. From once-familiar climate patterns to increasingly extreme and unpredictable weather, she explains why these listings matter: they are not just warning signs, but tools to strengthen conservation responses and sharpen international attention on species under pressure.

Mary-Ann also speaks to the power of public awareness, the importance of long-term collaborative science, and the deep connections between oceans, climate, and human activity.