Snow petrels are obligate Antarctic breeders nesting on exposed rocky outcrops, with welfare affected by climate-driven changes in snow cover, krill availability, and the timing of sea ice formation.
Snow petrel welfare during breeding is most threatened by mismatches between the timing of krill availability and chick growth requirements caused by climate-driven changes in sea ice formation. Chicks that cannot be provisioned adequately experience prolonged starvation before abandonment. Adults returning to provision chicks over increasing distances as sea ice retreats expend greater energy at higher metabolic cost. Rock crevice nest sites in Antarctic mountains protect eggs and chicks from Antarctic weather but offer no protection from the broader oceanographic changes affecting prey availability. Climate action is the most fundamental welfare intervention for Antarctic seabirds.