World's largest iceberg is on the loose in the Atlantic ocean and threatens catastrophic damage
If it collides, the impact poses a threat to the local wildlife
Scientists are warning that the world's biggest iceberg is on a collision course with a tiny Atlantic island.
South Georgia Island is a remote Atlantic island that is mostly home to penguins and seals.
Last year, the 1,400-square-mile iceberg known as A23a started to move again after being stuck on the ocean floor near Antarctica for 37 years.
It originally broke off from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986 but remained grounded until recently.
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Now, it's headed straight for South Georgia Island, posing a potential threat to the local wildlife.
For months, A23a had been trapped in a rotating ocean current near the South Orkney Islands, according to Andrew Meijers from the British Antarctic Survey.
"It has now come loose from this circulation feature and is heading northeast with the Antarctic circumpolar current – on a path that is likely to bring it very close or in contact with the island of South Georgia," he said.
"Sudden isn't really the right word for something we've been tracking for almost 40 years and is now moving at around half a mile an hour."
Meijers added in his email: "However, its recent path shows that it is in an ocean current jet – something like an atmospheric jet stream – that should take it toward the island over the coming weeks."
I'm sure you're asking will it actually hit South Georgia?
That’s the big question, and there’s no clear answer yet.
The iceberg could hit the island in about 2-4 weeks, depending on the meandering of the current and its exact path, according to Meijers.
But a collision may not be definite. It may follow the current around the continental shelf of the island without touching the ground, or it may potentially ground on the shallow waters, as a berg did in 2004.
"It is almost impossible to predict which of these may occur, or indeed if the berg will break up before then," Meijers explained.
Icebergs frequently threaten South Georgia Island, a British territory, because it sits near the Southern Hemisphere’s own 'Iceberg Alley.'
According to the National Science Foundation: "Many icebergs float in this current around the continent until they get close to the Antarctic Peninsula, a long arm that extends toward Chile.
"In the Scotia Sea between Chile and Antarctica, the icebergs are pushed northward and begin to melt. Researchers call this area Iceberg Alley," the NSF said.
For humans, there’s no immediate danger, Southern Ocean shipping operators are well aware of the iceberg’s location and can navigate around it. However, if it breaks apart, the smaller chunks (known as 'bergy bits') could become much harder to track, making some fishing areas unsafe for a while.
For wildlife, though, the situation is more dire. South Georgia is home to large populations of penguins and seals and if the iceberg grounds near the island, it could disrupt their access to feeding areas, 'forcing them to expend more energy to travel around it.'
"This will reduce the amount of food coming back to pups and chicks on the island, and so increase mortality," Meijers warned.
"This has happened before in 2004, although we aren't certain if this berg will ground or not, more recent examples have tracked around the island."