Animals Found In Antarctica

re no land animals that actually live in Antarctica! However, the surrounding oceans abound in living creatures! Th
habit the oceans surrounding Antarctica can be seen pulling themselves out of the water and onto the ice to rest d
enguins (Emperors and Adelies) are the only birds that inhabit this frozen landscape. It's just too cold to support v
life forms! Below are pictures of and facts about Antarctica's animals. 

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
of long hair, called lanugo, which they will shed within the first month as the protect
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 ex
beyond the ice-line in the Arctic ocean. The Orca exhibits a great tolerance for vary
temperatures. This is one of the reasons they enjoy a worldwide distribution.

 
Rockhopper Penguins - one of the more ornate penguins, the Rockhopper stands 1
18 inches tall and weighs about 5 to 6 pounds. It can be found on subantarctic islan
population numbers appear to be stable at about 3.5 million pairs! These birds shak
their heads and cause their yellow eyebrows to fly into a "halo" in order to attract a

 
 Black-browed Albatross - distinguished by its distinctive combination of white head
neat black brow. The Black-browed albatross can have a wigspan of up to eight fee
can weigh up to 10 pounds! Black-browed albatrosses are the most widely distribut
all albatross species. Of all the albatross species they may face the greatest threats
fisheries.

 
Leopard Seal - named because of the colour patterns on its fur and its fierce nature
Leopard seal is a fierce predator of it's favorite food - Adelie penguins. They can lea
onto the ice and quickly grab a penguin. They also feed on fish, krill, and squid. Unl
other phocid seals, the leopard seal uses its large fore-flippers while swimming (sea
style).

Listen to a Leopard seal.

 
Blue Whale - named for its blue-gray color, this huge cetacean may grow to be roug
100 feet long and weigh more that 120 tons! A blue whale eats about 4 tons of krill
day during the feeding season! This means that about 40 million krill are eaten ever
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 pe
at the feet of his intended. They begin to fight, but if the female is interested, the fig
very short. Once the mates have been selected, the males commence gathering m
pebbles for thier nests. Adelie penguins make their nests out of rocks! Ouch!

Listen to the Adelie

  
Antarctic Shag - primarily eats fish, which they catch by diving. The bill of the Antar
Shag is serrated for grabbing and holding onto slippery fish! All four toes on this me
of the Phalacrocoridae family point forward - a rarity among birds!

 
Crabeater Seal - Crabeater seals are the most numerous pinniped species in the w
and are curiously named since their major prey is not crabs but Antarctic krill! The s
have special lobed teeth that help them to sieve the krill out of the seawater. Crabe
seals have been known to dive as deep as 470 feet and for a period in excess of 10
minutes!

Listen to the Crabeater

 
Wandering Albatross - this species of albatross wanders the oceans for months at a
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!
Wandering albatross is endangered because of accidental killing of the bird on long

 
 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
the South Shetland Islands. Today the Fur seals are making a rapid comeback and
regularly seen farther and farther south on the Antarctic Peninsula.

 
Emperor Penguin - Emperor penguins, the biggest of the 17 penguin species, stand
4 feet tall and can weigh as much as 100 pounds! They are the only living species t
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!!

Listen in on a
colony of Emperors!
 
Southern Elephant Seal - largest of all pinnepeds. The elephant seal gets its name
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 know
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
it grows new, sleek fur!

 
 Chinstrap Penguin - Chinstrap penguins are named for the narrow band of black fe
that extends from ear to ear. For nesting, they often select lofty sites that are the fir
become snow-free, to ensure the maximum amount of time to raise their chicks. Th
thought to be the most numerous penguin species with an estimated population of 1
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 Jam
Ross, who first discovered them in 1840.