Exclusive wallpaper for WWF members

As the world’s highest, driest, coldest, and windiest continent, Antarctica is not an easy place to live. With temperatures plunging as low as −94.7°C, this frozen landmass gives the impression of being utterly inhospitable. However, it makes the perfect home for our remarkable feathered friends, the emperor and Adélie penguin, who exclusively live and breed there.

Sadly though, these impressive creatures are facing major challenges. Around half of all penguin species are now threatened with extinction - warmer Antarctic summers are bringing more snowfall, reducing the nesting areas that Adélie penguins depend on. For emperor penguins, melting sea ice poses an equally grave risk, as they rely on its stability to breed and raise their chicks. Warming seas are also depleting krill populations, the primary food source for Adélies, while commercial fishing in their feeding grounds adds even more pressure. Together, these changes are forcing penguins to compete for resources.

But thanks to your support, progress is being made to protect Antarctica’s fragile ecosystems and ensure that fisheries can be sustainable. We’re also supporting marine protected areas to safeguard penguin habitats.

This month’s wallpaper celebrates World Penguin Day on the 25 April, and thank you for helping us protect these extraordinary birds. Simply scroll down and click the relevant button to download the image.