Data shows that the number of people traveling to Antarctica has risen from less than 5,000 in 1990 to 40,000 per year now, with the vast majority of tourists visiting the ice-free, fragile areas of Antarctica. Many research stations have been built, along with roads, fuel depots, and runways. Scientists point out that most of Antarctica’s wildlife lives in these areas, and human-made structures can affect them.
Scientists say that many people believe Antarctica is remote and uninhabited, and thus is not threatened and is well protected, but they have indeed found threats to Antarctica’s biodiversity, and the continent is also facing invasive species.