There are no land animals that actually live in Antarctica! However, the surrounding oceans abound in living creatures! The seals that inhabit the oceans surrounding Antarctica can be seen pulling themselves out of the water and onto the ice to rest during feeding. Penguins (Emperors and Adelies) are the only birds that inhabit this frozen landscape. It's just too cold to support very many life forms! Below are pictures of and facts about Antarctica's animals.
Weddell Seal
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.
Orca Mom and Baby
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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 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!!
Elephant Seal
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 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 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.
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Weddell Seal
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.
Orca Mom and Baby
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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 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.
