Polar bears
Polar bears are found around the polar region; spends time along the southern
edge of the arctic pack ice. Their habitats are on pack ice, open water and on
land. Male polar bear weigh 400-450kg and female polar bear weigh 300-350kg.
Their diet includes seals, birds from sea and icy land. Their body contains
blubber. This insulate them from the cold climate. Their lifespan is up to 25 years.
The population of polar bear is around 40,000. Polar bear`s future depends on the
protection of Arctic environments (windy, ice, snowy lands) from pollution.
Penguins
There are no penguins in the northern hemisphere. They are found in the southern
hemisphere. Penguins live from the sea ice along the edges of antarctica, up to thr equator.
Penguins are birds that do not fly and swims well. Some penguins lives in very cold ice and
snowy places. They finds their food mostly from the sea, such as fish. Some penguins spend
most time of their lives in the water. And some spends most o their time on the snowy land.
They lay their eggs on the land. To survive in this cold snowy climate, they have a thick
layer of fat below their skin for insulation.
Arctic fox
Arctic fox are found in the fur north areas of North America, Iceland, Greenland. The
colour of the animal is gray or white. They are carnivores, eats eggs, birds, fish, small
mammals. They have thick insulating fur. They protect themselves by hiding in the snow.
Their lifespan is between 3-10 years. They are adapted to live in the cold climate. Arctic
foxes metabolic rate starts to increase at minus 50 degree celcius. Therefore they can
tolerate snowy climate.
Musk ox
Musk ox are found on the tundra of Canada, Alaska, Greenland and some Arctic islands.
Their diet includes grasses, willow leaves, lichens. They are 4-5 ft tall and weighs 230 - 360
kg. The fur of the musk ox is 3-4 inches thick. The muskox fur coat and hooves acts as
insulation in the cold weather. They have long outer hair. Under this hair, they have wooly
qiviut. It is naturally occurs fibre at up to 10 times warmer than sheep wool. Their lifespan
is just over 20 years.
Wolverine
Wolverine is the largest member of the weasel family. Wolverine is found in the Northern
United States, Alasa, Canada. Their diet includes, eggs, small mammals, rats, birds. The
male wolverine weigh 36 pounds and female weight 25 pounds. Their thick fur insulates
them in the cold climate. Their lifespan is up to 22 years in captivity.
Weddell Seal - the southernmost pinniped in the world. In what is known as reverse sexual
dimorphism, males are generally smaller than females. A newborn pup has a coat of long hair,
called lanugo, which they will shed within the first month as the protective layer of blubber is
developed. Listen to a Weddell Seal underwater.
Orcas - In the Antarctic, Killer whales live amid pack-ice, but they are said not to extend beyond
the ice-line in the Arctic ocean. The Orca exhibits a great tolerance for varying temperatures. This
is one of the reasons they enjoy a worldwide distribution.
Rockhopper Penguins - one of the more ornate penguins, the Rockhopper stands 16- to 18
inches tall and weighs about 5 to 6 pounds. It can be found on subantarctic islands. Its population
numbers appear to be stable at about 3.5 million pairs! These birds shake their heads and cause
their yellow eyebrows to fly into a "halo" in order to attract a mate!
Black-browed Albatross - distinguished by its distinctive combination of white head and neat
black brow. The Black-browed albatross can have a wigspan of up to eight feet and can weigh up
to 10 pounds! Black-browed albatrosses are the most widely distributed of all albatross species.
Of all the albatross species they may face the greatest threats from fisheries.
Leopard Seal - named because of the colour patterns on its fur and its fierce nature, the Leopard
seal is a fierce predator of it's favorite food - Adelie penguins. They can leap up onto the ice and
quickly grab a penguin. They also feed on fish, krill, and squid. Unlike other phocid seals, the
leopard seal uses its large fore-flippers while swimming (sea lion style).
Blue Whale - named for its blue-gray color, this huge cetacean may grow to be roughly 100
feet long and weigh more that 120 tons! A blue whale eats about 4 tons of krill per day during
the feeding season! This means that about 40 million krill are eaten every day for six months
by a blue whale! The tongue of the blue whale can be as big as a Volkswagen! The blue whale
is the loudest animal on earth! Hear the blue whale.
Adelie Penguin - the Adelies courtship ceremony begins when the male drops a pebble at the
feet of his intended. They begin to fight, but if the female is interested, the fight is very short.
Once the mates have been selected, the males commence gathering more pebbles for thier
nests. Adelie penguins make their nests out of rocks! Ouch!
Antarctic Shag - primarily eats fish, which they catch by diving. The bill of the Antarctic Shag
is serrated for grabbing and holding onto slippery fish! All four toes on this member of the
Phalacrocoridae family point forward - a rarity among birds!
Crabeater Seal - Crabeater seals are the most numerous pinniped species in the world and
are curiously named since their major prey is not crabs but Antarctic krill! The seals have
special lobed teeth that help them to sieve the krill out of the seawater. Crabeater seals have
been known to dive as deep as 470 feet and for a period in excess of 10 minutes!
Wandering Albatross - this species of albatross wanders the oceans for months at a time
searching for food. It sleeps on the ocean surface at night and drinks seawater. The
Wandering albatross is the largest bird in the world in terms of wing span - 11 feet! The
Wandering albatross is endangered because of accidental killing of the bird on longlines.
Antarctic Fur Seal - tThe only eared seal in the Antarctic. Fur seals can be quite aggressive
and it is wise to give them a wide berth, especially in the mating season! Within four years of
their discovery in 1819, over 320,000 Fur seal pelts were taken from the South Shetland
Islands. Today the Fur seals are making a rapid comeback and are regularly seen farther and
farther south on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Emperor Penguin - Emperor penguins, the biggest of the 17 penguin species, stand 3 to 4
feet tall and can weigh as much as 100 pounds! They are the only living species to reproduce
during the harsh Antarctic winter. Without a nest, the male keeps the egg warm by holding it
on his feet under an abdominal fold of skin for 2 months! Unbelievable! What a Dad!!
Southern Elephant Seal - largest of all pinnepeds. The elephant seal gets its name from the
long, curved nose the male acquires around the age of three. The snout plays a significant role
in the elephant seal's spectacular breeding ritual. By a process known as a catastrophic molt,
elephant seals shed their coats every autumn, sloughing large pieces of hair and skin, and
leaving the seal with a ragged and tattered appearance until it grows new, sleek fur!
Chinstrap Penguin - Chinstrap penguins are named for the narrow band of black feathers that
extends from ear to ear. For nesting, they often select lofty sites that are the first to become
snow-free, to ensure the maximum amount of time to raise their chicks. They are thought to be
the most numerous penguin species with an estimated population of 12 to 13 million.
Ross Seal - Ross Seals are very rarely seen because they live deep within the consolidated
pack-ice. It is believed that Ross Seals feed mainly on squid and, to a lesser extent, fish and
krill. They were named after the British polar explorer Sir James Ross, who first discovered
them in 1840.