Despite some of the harshest climatic conditions on the planet, Antarctica boasts a unique ecosystem that is home to amazing flora and fauna that brave the cold. Antarctic animals and vegetation have evolved well to survive in extreme conditions ice continent. The lack of human impact on nature only contributes to the successful development of the Antarctic fauna. Below are the main animals of Antarctica that are found on its icy expanses of land and waters and represent animal world the most severe climatic conditions of the continent.
Antarctic whalebird
This seabird has gray-blue plumage and the same coloring on the upper part of the body, while the lower part - from the throat to the tail - is snow-white, and the legs are black. Its beak is light gray, curved at the tip. The wingspan of the Antarctic whalebird reaches 80-91 cm, and its weight is 440 g with a body length of 35-40 cm.
Representatives of these seabirds of the petrel family are found throughout Antarctic continent. Their most extensive colonies were seen on Scott Island, South Orkney and South Shetland Islands. These seabirds are characterized by a colonial lifestyle.
They live huge colonies 1000 individuals each. Their diet consists of crustaceans (in particular, euphasids), tiny cephalopods, small fish and carrion. The Antarctic whalebird catches its prey by flying over the water's edge and capturing food with its beak or paws.
To reproduce, these birds usually lay one egg in December, which the pair incubates alternately for 45 days. 45-55 days after hatching from the egg, the chicks begin to lead independent life. Average duration The lifespan of these seabirds is 15-20 years.
killer whale
Killer whale - largest representative dolphin family. The body length of adult individuals reaches 9.8 m (for males) and 8.5 m (for females). The length of killer whale cubs is at least 2.4 m. The weight of adults can reach 7500-10000 kilos (females and males), and for calves - up to 200 kg.
These marine mammals It is no coincidence that they received the nickname killer whales, because they are the owners of menacing 10-centimeter sharp teeth. Killer whales are characterized by a black body and a white belly, snow-white spots near the eyes and gray spots behind the dorsal fin. They are capable of reaching speeds of up to 54 km/h.
The basis of food for these sea predators include seals, sea lions and birds, turtles, sharks, squid, cephalopods and fish. Killer whales live in the cold waters of Antarctica, Norway, Alaska, the vast North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.
Males are ready to reproduce only in the 21st year of their life, while females are capable of reproduction starting from early years. The lifespan of these animals is from 50 to 80 years. Killer whales usually live in groups of 5 to 30 individuals, led by a female.
Adelie Penguin
This migratory bird was named by French Arctic explorer Dumont-D'Urville in honor of his wife Adele. Populations of these seabirds are found throughout Antarctica, making them the most representative of Antarctic fauna.
The weight of male Adélie penguins reaches 5.4 kg, and females - 4.7 kg. The body length of these birds is about 70 cm. These birds differ from other relatives black head with characteristic white spots around the eyes and a red beak. Their back is black, their plumage is dark blue, and their paws are gray-pink.
These penguins feed on krill small fish, squid and cephalopods. To get food, they can dive under water to a depth of 175 m, while being excellent swimmers. They live in large colonies of thousands of individuals.
Nests are built on land, lining the nesting area with stones to protect the eggs from moisture. Often, when building nests, they steal stones from the homes of their neighbors. The couple hatches their offspring alternately. Birds begin to reproduce it at 3-6 years of age. They live on average up to 20 years.
This is interesting! Find out also what other species exist in the world, including species that live in the Antarctic expanses.
Holothurians
These invertebrate creatures such as echinoderms are often called sea cucumbers or egg capsules because of their characteristic body shape. They also have a small tentacle, like a tube foot, which is used to move and capture food.
Depending on the variety, sea cucumbers are found in red, dark green and black colors. Their body length varies from 2.5 cm to 1.8 m. Holothurians live on seabed, often burrowing into it, which is why they are also called marine earthworms.
Other types of planktonic sea cucumbers swim in the sea, moving due to sea currents. They feed on algae, marine invertebrates and particles of marine waste, similar to earth worms. Holothurians are found in all ecosystems of the planet, including in the cold waters of Antarctica.
Their life expectancy is from 5 to 10 years. When threatened, sea cucumbers can shoot out sticky threads to catch an enemy, or they can discard part of their body, which is subsequently regenerated.
Rotifers
They are tiny microscopic plankton found in moist soils of freshwater and salty waters. There are about 2000 species of rotifers. Their size is usually from 0.1 to 1 mm, although some species can reach 2-3 mm.
They feed on microalgae and represent the basis of food for fish, shellfish, corals and other aquatic organisms. Due to their high reproductive rates and as an important source of food for other sea creatures, rotifers are often used in aquariums.
Some representatives of these animals lead a solitary lifestyle, while others live in colonies. On the front of the body of rotifers there is a semblance of a crown, creating an analogue of rotating wheels, for which they received their specific name.
A typical representative of the fauna of Antarctica is the rusty-red rotifer Philodina gregaria. In summer it is found in huge quantities on the ocean floor and in ocean pools.
Blue whale
This is one of the largest animals on the planet and is also one of the representatives of the animal kingdom that is found in the cold waters of Antarctica. The main food of the blue whale is krill and crustaceans. This giant of the oceans consumes from 2 to 4 tons of them per day.
The length of males is 29 m, and females are 33 m, while their calves reach 7 m. The weight of an adult male blue whale is 150 tons, a female is 1800 tons, and a baby whale is 2700 kg. The head of this giant is a quarter of the length of its body, which is distinguished by its streamlined shape and pale blue spots on its back. The blue whale has two blowholes, from which, when exhaling, a fountain of water up to 9 m high rises into the air.
Blue whales are found in the North Pacific and the vast Atlantic, as well as in the south and north Indian Ocean. They swim in small groups, but most often in pairs or alone. Summer blue whales spend in polar waters, and at the beginning of winter they migrate to equatorial waters. These sea giants They swim at a speed of 8 km/h, but in case of danger they can reach up to 32 km/h.
Blue whales are on the planet. In calm conditions, their moans and roars can be heard several thousand kilometers from their location. These marine mammals can reproduce offspring at 6-10 years of age. Their average lifespan in the ocean is 80-90 years, but the IUCN lists this species as endangered. There are between 10 and 25 thousand blue whales in the world.
Snow petrel
This seabird is a typical representative of the fauna of Antarctica. It received its specific name for its snow-white body color. Character traits their appearance is dark eyes, a black beak and bluish-gray paws. The weight of the snow petrel is from 260 to 460 grams with a length of 30-40 cm. These seabirds feed mainly on fish, squid, mollusks, krill and carrion (meat of seals, whales and penguins).
They nest in large colonies on rocks throughout Antarctica and islands near the icy continent. To avoid collisions with predators (particularly south polar skuas), snow petrels fly either very low over the water or very high above the ground. These birds are distinguished by sociality, and can simply circle chaotically in a group of their relatives. Their life expectancy is up to 20 years.
Antarctic giant squid
This large deep-sea predator is another characteristic representative of the fauna of Antarctica. Its body length together with tentacles can reach up to 14 m, and its weight can reach up to 500 kg. Males are usually smaller than females.
At the Antarctic giant squid eight legs ranging from 0.85 to 1.15 m long, and two tentacles about 2.1 m long. The tentacles have rotating hooks that allow them to capture and hold prey.
The basis of its diet is fish (in particular, Patagonian toothfish) and other squid. The skin of the Antarctic giant squid is red-pink in color, and its eyes are larger than those of other creatures on the planet.
Its main distribution area is the deep waters of Antarctica and the southwestern Pacific Ocean in New Zealand. This happens sea creature at a depth of more than 300 m below the water surface. This type of squid leads a solitary lifestyle and is particularly voracious. It may even engage in combat with sperm whales that hunt it.
Leopard seal
This marine mammal predator is found on the coasts of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands, as well as in South Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand. The weight of males reaches 300 kg, and females - up to 500 kg with a corresponding body length of 2.8-33 m and 2.9-3.8 m. Body color in adult individuals varies from silver-gray to black, covered with dark spots and with a light belly.
The leopard seal has a large head, a long and flexible neck and a powerful jaw with teeth like a dog. Its main food is small seals, penguins, seabirds, and krill. He hunts for them by hiding under the ice and staying underwater for up to 15 minutes.
Leopard seals can live alone, in pairs or in small groups. They live 12-15 years, but some individuals live up to 26 years. Whales are their only natural enemy.
This is the largest of the 17 species of penguins existing on the planet. Its body height reaches 1.15 m, and its weight reaches 40 kg. Characteristics The appearance of these penguins is the presence of yellow spots near the ears, on the neck and abdomen. Their wings are gray-black. These penguins feed on fish, cephalopods and krill. The emperor penguin eats 2-3 kg of food per day. But when he needs to increase his fat layer, his daily ration reaches up to 6 kg.
Emperor penguin colonies are found throughout Antarctica, and the total number of these birds reaches more than 20 thousand pairs. Birds gather in close groups to withstand severe frosts and snowstorms with wind speeds of up to 200 km/h. Their average lifespan is 15-20 years, but some individuals live up to 40 years.
On a note! On the pages of the magazine "World of Adventures" you can find a lot interesting information about a unique ice continent. Find out also what is the main one, how it appeared in the ice, who is included in it and why it is interesting. The world is amazing, discover at least a part of its wonders!
I like animals a lot! I myself had everything: fish, a cat, a guinea pig, a chinchilla and even a parrot! Moreover, it’s not only domesticated animals that cause me delight and tenderness. For example, I simply adore the penguins that live in the snow-white expanses of Antarctica! I’ll tell you who else lives in such harsh conditions.
Terrestrial animals of Antarctica
There are not many species of birds here. This is due natural conditions. In this area you can find:
Aquatic animals of Antarctica
The local fish are truly amazing! They have adapted to life in ice water. The local waters are densely populated with zooplankton. It serves as the main food for larger animals: fur seals, seals and whales. There are also small dolphins, which are also called sea cows.
Blue whales live in Antarctica. They are lured here by the abundance of shrimp. Just imagine, a whale can reach 40 meters in length! A heart can weigh a ton! Compared to a person, this animal is a whole mountain!
On the coast you can spot other giants – leopard seals. This is a special type of seal. It mainly feeds on krill, but in the fall, in order to diversify its diet, it hunts large animals.
Elephant seals also live here.
These animals are amazing because they have much more fat than meat! Thanks to this, they feel quite comfortable at critically low temperatures.
Severe and regal, mysterious and alluring, Antarctica has a very limited species diversity of fauna. However, even in the extreme climatic conditions of Antarctica, some animals feel excellent.
Representatives of the local fauna inhabit the coastal strip of the mainland and live in coastal waters.Terrestrial animals of Antarctica are leopard seals, crabeater seals, elephant seals, 17 species of penguins (Adélie penguins, emperor penguins and others), two species of skuas and several species of petrels. Nematodes live in the soil, and up to 70 species of arthropods, including arachnids and insects, can be found on the surface.
Leopard seal- a species of seal whose habitat is the sub-Antarctic regions of the Southern Ocean. Male leopard seals reach a length of 3 meters and weigh approximately 270 kg, and females grow up to 4 meters and have a body weight of up to 0.4 tons. The animals' body has a smooth, streamlined shape, making it possible to glide unhindered through ocean waters at speeds of up to 40 km/h. The diet of these animals includes warm-blooded vertebrates, including young seals and penguins.
Crabeater seal- a species characteristic of Antarctica, characterized by large numbers. The body length of an adult seal averages 2-2.5 m, females and males each appearance Almost identical to each other, both of them undergo a molting process every year in early spring, changing the color of their fur from silver-gray to grayish-brown with a few light spots. The food for these seals is small crustaceans.
Adélie Penguins- typically Antarctic birds, in whose nests there are up to 700 thousand individuals. These penguins make up 2/3 of all birds in Antarctica. They spend most of their lives in the ocean, and come ashore only during the nesting period. Penguins are called birds only conditionally - they cannot fly, but they can swim very well at speeds of up to 20 km/h. Almost the entire body of Adele is covered with waterproof feathers, and under the skin there is a thick layer of fat that protects from severe frosts. Adélie penguins feed exclusively on krill, cephalopods, mollusks and small fish. Amount of food eaten daily for adult reaches 2 kg.
Emperor Penguins- the largest penguins currently living on Earth, reaching 1.3 m in length and weighing up to 45 kg. These birds have rounded shapes, disproportionately small heads and legs. The body color is black and white: black plumage on the back and white on the chest is the birds’ natural protection from enemies. Emperor penguins have yellow-orange patches of plumage on their cheeks and below their necks. Penguins spend most of the year on drifting ice floes and in the sea, but during mating they return to the mainland. The main food of emperor penguins is krill, shellfish and fish, which they hunt in groups.
King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonica)
Lives further north, in more warm places. Breeding colonies are located on the islands of South Georgia, Kerguelen, Marion, Crozet and Macquarie.
Body length is 91-96 cm. Colonies are located on hard rocky soil. Reproduction occurs in summer: eggs are laid mainly in December - January. Each female lays only 1 large egg. Both parents incubate alternately. Incubation duration 54 days
Rockhopper penguin or rock climber penguin, rock penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome)
It lives on the rocky islands of the subantarctic region, but is sometimes found further north, on the southern tip of Africa and South America, as well as on the south coast of New Zealand.
Reaches 45-58 cm in height, weight 2-3 kg.
It nests in large colonies on the barren and very harsh islands of Tristanda Cunha and Heard Island. In a noisy and cramped colony small first the egg is usually lost in quarrels with neighbors. The chicks go to the nursery, but return to the nest when their parents call them to feed them. The chicks grow quickly and at the age of 10 weeks are ready to go to sea.
Victoria penguin or crested thick-billed penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)
It nests only on the rocky, creviced coast of South Island in New Zealand, as well as on two small offshore islands - Stuart and Solander.
Reaches 60 cm in length, weighing about 3 kg.
Golden-haired penguins (eng. Macaroni Penguin) – Colonially nesting near Antarctica, low (up to 76 cm) penguins have a tuft of golden-yellow feathers above their eyes.
Little penguin, elf penguin, little blue penguin, little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) 
It stays off the southern coast of Australia, along the coasts of Tasmania, New Zealand and Chatham Island.
It has a body length of only 40 cm. Usually lays 1-2, sometimes 3 eggs.
Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)
It lives mainly on the barren islands of the subantarctic region.
It reaches a height of 71-76 cm and weighs 4 kg.
These penguins are quite aggressive. There are known cases of these birds attacking people approaching the colony. Unlike other species, they feed both their chicks.
Giant petrels
birds nesting on Antarctic islands, feeding on marine animals and sometimes young penguins. The size of the wings of these birds reaches half a meter. Scientists have found out that petrels, using the power of a tailwind, are able to fly around the entire planet and return to their nesting place.
Great Skuas
Closest relatives of seagulls. Their wings reach 40 cm in length, but they walk on the ground as well as they fly. Skuas feed on fish, small animals and birds, and can also be content with carrion.
Skuas are bandits, and that's all. There are four types of them, and all of them - some more, some less - commit robbery. Eggs and chicks are stolen from neighbors. Penguins are especially affected by great skuas. Great skuas, which are as tall as a large herring gull, use their strong beaks to kill even adult birds that they can overpower.
New Year's greetings from penguins
This is one of the most mysterious and little-studied continents on our planet. Antarctica was discovered by two brave researchers - M. Lazarev and F. Bellingshausen. Their expedition confirmed the presence of Antarctica in the south of the globe. This happened in 1820.
Climatic conditions
The nature of Antarctica has the coldest climate on earth. In 1983, the absolute minimum was officially recorded - minus 89.2 degrees. In winter, temperatures range from -60 to -75 degrees. In summer it rises to -50. And only on the coast the climate is milder: average temperature ranges from 0 to -20 degrees.
Precipitation is possible only in the form of snow, which is compressed under its own weight, forming new layers of ice.
However, Antarctica has rivers and lakes. They appear in the summer, and in the winter they are again covered with an ice crust. Today, scientists have discovered 140 subglacial lakes. Of these, only one does not freeze - Vostok.
Flora of Antarctica
The flora of the continent is extremely poor. The natural features of Antarctica are explained by its harsh climate. Most of all algae grow here - about 700 species. The ice-free plains and coast of the mainland are covered with lichens and mosses. There are only two flowering plants on this harsh land - colobanthus quito and Antarctic meadow.
Colobanthus Quito refers to This is a low herbaceous plant that has a cushion shape with small pale yellow and white flowers. The height of an adult plant does not exceed five 5 centimeters.
Antarctic meadow grass is a cereal plant. It grows only in areas of the earth illuminated by the sun. These inconspicuous bushes grow up to 20 centimeters. The plant tolerates frost well. Even during flowering it is not harmed by frost.
The flora of Antarctica, represented by a few plants, has adapted to the eternal cold. Their cells contain little water, all processes are slow.
Animals
The natural features of Antarctica have left their mark on the fauna of the continent. The animals of this icy country live only where there is vegetation. Despite the harsh climate, dinosaurs lived in Antarctica in ancient times.
Antarctic animals can be divided into two independent groups - aquatic and terrestrial. It should be noted that there are no animals permanently living on land in Antarctica.
The waters surrounding the mainland are rich in zooplankton, which is the main food for seals, whales, penguins and fur seals. Ice fish live here - amazing creatures that have adapted to existence in icy water.
Large animals of Antarctica include which attract large numbers of shrimp.
Blue-green algae and roundworms live in fresh lakes, and crustaceans and daphnia are found.
Birds
Antarctica is home to penguins, Arctic terns and skuas. The nature of the mainland does not allow more birds to live here. There are four species of penguins living in Antarctica. The largest population is imperial. Occasionally on southern mainland petrels fly in.
Mammals
Antarctica, whose nature is too harsh for animals to live in, can only boast of those species that are able to live both on land and in water. First of all, these are seals. In addition, leopard seals and small sand or sand dolphins live on the coast. black and white which whalers call
Predators of Antarctica
This continent is home to a wide variety of predators. Their diet mainly consists of planktonic crustaceans. Of these, it is necessary to highlight the leopard seal - the largest seal that feeds on krill. It lives at shallow depths. At the same time, it also has the reputation of a predator, which is capable of hunting large animals. Such hunting, however, is only seasonal and is intended to diversify the diet, which consists of squid and fish, but its basis is krill. A small number of these marine predators stay close to penguin rookeries and colonies. In most cases, these giants drift on ice floes along the peninsula and, by the beginning of winter, gather in large quantities off South Georgia.
Leopard seals are real giants. The officially registered length is 3.8 meters, but larger animals have been encountered.
By autumn, leopards change their lifestyle and come close to the shore, along which inexperienced young fur seals and penguins descend.
Invertebrates
For whom the nature of Antarctica is completely suitable, it is invertebrate arthropods. Antarctica is home to 67 species of ticks and four species of lice. There are lice eaters, fleas and, of course, mosquitoes here. It should be noted that wingless ringing mosquitoes, which have a jet-black color, live only on the icy continent. These insects are endemic and belong to completely land animals.
The bulk of invertebrates and insects were brought to the southern continent by birds.
Tourism
Despite the harsh climate, about six thousand tourists come to Antarctica every year. Most of them go to the Antarctic Peninsula, where there is an airfield and a tourist base. In the 1990s, tourists began to visit the Ross Sea.
Antarctica is the coldest continent with harsh climatic conditions. The flora and fauna of Antarctica are not as rich as on other continents. However, some species of animals and plants have adapted to these seemingly unbearable conditions for life.
Natural areas: general information
The number of animals and plants in Antarctica is much smaller than on other continents. Most of Antarctica is covered with ice and is an Antarctic ice desert. And only on the outskirts of the mainland in the warm season do lichens, mosses and algae grow on the ice-free territory.
Almost the entire animal world of Antarctica is adapted to life in the ocean. The waters are rich in plankton - a food source for cetaceans (blue whale, sperm whale, fin whale, killer whale), pinnipeds (seals, elephant seals), fish and birds. The few birds that can survive in Antarctica include penguins, gulls, and petrels. In winter, the seas freeze, and the animal world moves behind the edge of the ice receding from the shore.
Fauna of Antarctica
Most animals and birds living in Antarctica are migratory, since they are very rare species can live in such harsh conditions all year round. All animals on the continent can be divided into terrestrial and aquatic; there are no completely terrestrial animals here.
Blue whales live in Antarctica - the most... large mammals on the planet. Their weight is more than 100 tons. In addition to them, the southern right whale, sei whale, fin whale, sperm whale, humpback whale and other representatives of cetaceans are found in Antarctica.
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Rice. 1. Blue whale.
One of the largest predators in Antarctica is leopard seal. It got its name from the spots all over its body. This animal is practically omnivorous: it can eat any animal that it can kill.
Among the mammals there are also crabeater seals, elephant seals, and Weddall seals.
One of the main types of food for animals and birds of Antarctica is Antarctic krill. Krill are crustaceans that live in large groups and are one of the key species in the Antarctic ecosystem.
Birds include the Antarctic blue-eyed cormorant, white plover, snow petrel, and wandering albatross. The snow petrel is a pigeon-sized bird that is completely white but has black eyes and a beak. They feed on krill, which they catch from the sea.
Penguins are the symbol of Antarctica. The Emperor Penguin is the largest of all existing penguins. Their average weight is 30 kg. He is able to survive in harsh conditions climatic conditions, since the layer subcutaneous fat it reaches 3 cm.
The emperor penguin is endemic to Antarctica. That is, this type of penguin is not found anywhere except this continent.
Rice. 2. Emperor penguin.
Flora of Antarctica
Since the territory of Antarctica is almost entirely covered with ice, and the temperature rarely rises above 0 degrees, the flora and fauna of the continent are very scarce. On the outskirts of the mainland, where there is snow in warm months It's finally melting and you can see mosses, lichens and algae. There are really a lot of algae here - about 700 species, but there are only two flowering plants: colobanthus quito and Antarctic meadow grass. The first belongs to the clove family and reaches only 5 cm. The meadow can grow up to 20 cm, and it belongs to the Poaceae family.
Rice. 3. Antarctic meadow grass.
What have we learned?
From an article on geography, we briefly learned about the organic world of Antarctica: although it is not very diverse, it still exists. Animals and plants that have adapted to cold weather live here. weather conditions mainland. Many animals spend only part of their time here, and the rest of the time they live in warmer climates. Famous animals of Antarctica are penguins, seals, petrels, and plants are colobanthus quito and arctic meadowweed.
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