A warming Antarctica will have a profound impact on the animals living there. While some species may migrate or even benefit from the changes, at least in the short term, others will struggle to adapt. Scientific research is helping us understand how a warming Antarctica could affect this complex ecosystem. In 2019, scientists from the British Antarctic Survey released an update on the impacts of Antarctic melting on wildlife. They reported that so far we are on track for a ‘few winners many losers’ scenario. While some species will benefit from the melt as it opens up new habitats, both on land and the seafloor, they won’t offset the losses as other species are pushed to the limit trying to survive. According to their study, which was published in Frontiers in Marine Science, Antarctic krill and the penguins that rely on them are among the most at risk as the ice melts. Adélie and emperor penguins, Antarctica’s only permanent penguin residents, are particularly vulnerable. But there is hope. Scientists have identified possible ‘climate refugia’: little ecological pockets that could offer an icy safe haven to climate migrants in a warming Antarctica. In the past, the Ross and Amundsen Seas acted as glacial refuges on a warming Earth, and models suggest they could offer similar shelter in the future. The establishment of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area in 2017 is a step towards the protection of these vital habitats as Antarctica warms.