| Antarctic Animals: Enjoying The Beauty of Antarctica |
The southernmost continent on earth, Antarctica, is not permanently inhabited by human beings because of its extreme weather conditions. It is not only the coldest continent but it is also the driest. But, there are still these Antarctic animals that survive despite the continent’s harsh climate. And, these living wonders make tourists visit Antarctica.
One of the animals that you will find in this extremely cold place is the Emperor penguin which is the heaviest and tallest of all penguin species. It can weigh 65-90 pounds and can be three to four feet tall. It is also the only penguin that breeds during the winter in Antarctica. Other penguins that breeds in the continent include King penguins, Gentoo penguins, Chinstrap penguins, and Rockhopper penguins.
Populating Antarctica’s marine life are different species of whales. These include the blue whale which is considered as the largest animal on earth. Another species is the humpback whale whose head constitutes up to one-third of its whole body length. There is also the sperm whale which is the largest of the toothed whales and it can be over 50 feet long. It got its name from the milky-white substance spermaceti found in its head. Then there is the Orca, which is better known as Killer whale. It is not a whale, though. It actually belongs to the oceanic dolphin family and the largest species at that.
Who would look past the seals when it comes to the creatures that can be found in the Antarctic? Their blubber, which is two to four inches thick, protects them from the continent’s extremely cold conditions. Seals eat so much that a male can be as heavy as 250 pounds. But despite their weight, they can swim up to 11 miles per hour. One interesting trivia about seals is that when these mammals swim, they close their ears to prevent water from going into their body.
The Arctic Tern, a species of bird, can also be found in Antarctica. In fact, it is one of the three animals that live year round in the continent; the other two are the ice worm and the penguin. This bird has a black head and white body and its wing span is about 4 feet. It owes its ability to survive the cold temperature to its warm feather coat. Speaking of birds, species of albatrosses such as the Lightly-maned sooty and Gray-headed and Black-browed albatross can likewise be found in this southernmost part of the earth.
Other life forms that can be found in Antarctica include crustaceans (crabs, sea spiders, shrimps) and marine invertebrates (squid, sea stars, marine snails, sea anemones). Certain species of fish such as the Antarctic cod, ice fish, crocodile fish, robber fish, dragon fish, and ray-tailed fish are also part of its marine life.
These animals indeed possess special tools that help them survive the extreme weather conditions of Antarctica. Penguins and seals, for instance, possess compact body shapes and thick skin which help keep their bodies in heat. Some of them also have layers of fat which insulate and protect them from the cold. Species of fish and insects, on the other hand, possess special chemicals in their blood to keep them from freezing.
An Antarctic holiday may need more preparation than your usual holiday trip but seeing these creatures can make the extra preparation all worth it. Going to this rarely visited place and seeing for yourself that it is teeming with life can give you an extra sense of fulfillment. Not everybody gets the opportunity to go to a place like Antarctica, so it is definitely going to be an adventure of a lifetime.
Jo is a content writer for ‘Antarctica Bound’ (http://www.antarcticabound.com), specialists in Antarctic tours and expeditions who are fully devoted to giving the finest probable service and excellent value for money. If you want to visit Antarctica and savor the unique event of viewing the different Antarctic animals in their natural home then you should have a look at Antarctica Bound.
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