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Amazing antarctic animals – learn about penguins, seals, fish, birds, squid, krill and whales.
Emperor penguins are the only animals that breed during the Antarctic winter. Emperor penguin annual cycle The emperor has not only evolved special physical characteristics to help it survive the extreme Antarctic conditions, it has also developed some unique social behaviours such as huddling.
Antarctic animals have unique behavioural adaptations that help them survive the harsh winter. Emperor penguins form large huddles. Huddles allow them to share body warmth, and shelters many of the penguins from the wind.
A penguin’s shape makes them extremely agile underwater. They use their feet and tail as a rudder, and propel themselves with their flippers. Penguins have a waterproof coat of short, overlapping feathers. They have a well-developed layer of fat for insulation.
There are 2 natural groups of seals, true (earless) seals and fur seals which have small flaps over their ears, and are related to sea-lions. Six different species of seal live in Antarctic waters: Ross, Weddell, crabeater, leopard, fur and elephant seals.
Diet and feeding. A blue whale gulps up to 50 tonnes of water and krill in one feeding mouthful, but swallows only the krill. 'True’ blue whales are one of the fussiest eaters in the Antarctic, usually eating only Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba).
There are hundreds of species of phytoplankton and zooplankton, and hundreds of species of birds and fish. Fish are predators and prey. Squid is a favourite meal for many species. With so many species interdependent in the Antarctic food web.
Gentoo penguins have a large geographic range. They breed on many sub-Antarctic islands and on the Antarctic Peninsula. They generally occupy their islands all year round. The largest populations of gentoo penguins are in the Falkland Islands (South Georgia), and on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Oct 11, 2024 · New Australian research using satellite imagery to monitor the location of emperor penguin colonies in East Antarctica, shows the birds are struggling to adapt to rapid changes in their environment.
Amazing antarctic animals – learn about penguins, seals, fish, birds, squid, krill and whales. Plants and microbes Antarctica and its waters are home to lichens, mosses and liverworts, algae, kelp and microscopic organisms.
