From Neko Island, we went to Torgersen Island. On nearby Anvers Island, the US Antarctic Palmer Research Station is located. It has about 40 inhabitants during the summer season, and only about 15 "maintenance" residents during the winter. It is relatively small compared to the US McMurdo Research Station in the New Zealand sector that houses around 1300 research and support personnel. Palmer's mission is to study the wildlife in the area, particularly the Adelie penguins. Part of this study requires that certain islands are "no visit" islands to help study the effect of tourism on wildlife. Torgersen is such an island. It is split into a "no visit" area and a restricted area. Because we were there during breeding season, we were not allowed to land in the restricted half of the island. The population Adelie penguins that inhabit the area is in decline. Adelies depend on sea ice to hunt. With global warming, sea ice is disappearing around the Antarctic peninsula and so are the Adelies. Adelies continue to thrive on the main continent.