Animal world of Antarctica directly related to its climate. Therefore, all living organisms of this continent are located only in those places where plants are present.

According to information received from scientists, all animals of Antarctica, divided into water and land. At the same time, there are no completely land representatives of the fauna on this continent. List of animals of Antarctica(most popular) is shown below.

Mammals of Antarctica

Weddell seal

This species of fauna acquired its name thanks to the commander of an industrial expedition in one of the seas of Antarctica (also got its name in honor of this scientist) - James Weddell.

This type of animal lives in all coastal zones of Antarctica. According to estimates at the present time, their number is 800 thousand.

An adult of this species can reach a length of up to 350 centimeters. Their difference is that they can be under water for a whole hour. Their diet includes fish and cephalopods, which they catch without problems at depths of up to 800 meters.

In the autumn period of the year, they gnaw holes in the newly appeared ice so that they can breathe. Such actions lead to the fact that in older representatives of the species, the teeth, as a rule, are broken.

Pictured is a Weddell seal

crabeater seals

The crabeater seal is noted as the only one of the True seal family. It is the most common species not only among those living in Antarctica, but also among those living in the vastness of the world. According to various estimates of scientists, their number varies from 7 to 40 million individuals.

The name of these animals is in no way connected with reality, since they are not included in their diet. These mammals feed mainly on Antarctic krill.

The size of crabeater seals that have reached adulthood can reach a length of 220–260 centimeters, while their weight varies from 200 to 300 kilograms.

There is an elongated and fairly slender physique. The muzzle is long and narrow. The real color of their fur is dark brown, but after fading it becomes creamy white.

Crab-eating seals have scalloped tuberculate lateral teeth. This shape means that they fit snugly against each other and create a kind of sieve that allows them to filter food.

A distinctive quality of this type of seal is that on the shore, they unite in large dense groups. Habitat - Marginal seas of Antarctica.

They arrange rookeries on the ice, on which they move quite quickly. The preferred hunting time is at night. Able to stay under water for 11 minutes.

During the feeding period, the male stays near the female all the time, getting food for her and driving away other males. Their life expectancy is about 20 years.

Pictured is a crabeater seal

Sea leopard

It is not only the largest, but also the heaviest of all penguin species that live on planet Earth. His height can reach 122 centimeters, and his weight ranges from 22 to 45 kilograms. Females of this species are smaller than males and their maximum height is 114 centimeters.

Among other types of penguins, they also stand out for their muscularity. On the back, these penguins have black feathers, on the chest are white - this is a kind of protection from enemies. Under the neck and on the cheeks a small amount of orange feathers.

About 300 thousand individuals of these penguins live in Antarctica, but they migrate to mate and lay eggs. These penguins feed on a variety of squid and krill.

They live and hunt mainly in groups. Small prey is eaten right on the spot, but larger prey is pulled ashore for butchering. The life span is about 25 years.

emperor penguin

snow petrel

The snow petrel is a bird that was first discovered in 1777 by Johann Reinhold Forster. The body length of this petrel species can reach up to 40 centimeters, wingspan up to 95 centimeters.

The color is white, only at the anterior upper edge of the eye there is a small dark spot. The beak is black. The paws of this species of bird have a bluish-gray color. They love low flights, right above the water surface.

They lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle. The diet includes small crustaceans, Antarctic krill, squid. They can nest either in separate pairs or in groups. They prefer to nest on the rocky slopes of the mountains. During the period of feeding the chicks, the male provides food and protection.

snow petrel

Unfortunately, all presented photo of antarctica animals unable to fully describe their beauty, and it remains to be hoped that someday Antarctica will fully reveal its expanses to people.

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Animals of Antarctica represent a unique and inimitable fauna of the southern hemisphere. There is nothing like it anywhere else on the planet. Even the animals of the Arctic bear little resemblance to their distant southern counterparts. There are no four-legged predators in the vast Antarctic region. This is the world of pinnipeds, marine mammals and huge southern birds.

Antarctica itself is virtually uninhabited. Its vast territories are almost completely lifeless and bound by eternal ice. Life glimmers only in the coastal strip and on the Antarctic Peninsula. The islands surrounding the southern mainland are also not very suitable for a normal life. Only birds and seals can exist on them, capable of obtaining food for themselves in the sea. These amazing inhabitants of the Antarctic will be discussed.

Birds

The most notable bird in Antarctica is undoubtedly the penguin. He can't fly, but he walks like a man. There are many types of penguins. The biggest - emperor penguin. His height reaches the height of an adult. It is 160 cm, and the weight of this bird reaches 60 kg. His closest relative king penguin grows up to a metre. These two birds are very similar to each other. Fabulous And chinstrap penguins smaller - their height reaches 70 cm. crested penguin having an original crest on his head. The most numerous of these birds are Adélie penguins, and the smallest little penguins. In height, they grow up to 50 cm, and their weight does not exceed 3 kg.

Animals of the Antarctic are also famous for birds such as albatrosses. These are giants: their wingspan exceeds 3 meters, and their body length reaches 130 cm. They are eternal wanderers, plowing the endless air spaces of the Southern Ocean. The skua does not lag behind the albatross. He also loves to travel and even flies far north, crossing the equator. This bird often takes fish from its smaller counterparts. She can also eat other people's chicks if their parents are not around.

It is impossible not to say a few words about petrel, which is rightly called the southern giant petrel. It is slightly inferior in size to the albatross and never refuses to taste the carcasses of seals and penguins. That is, it is a real predator that feeds on carrion. A very beautiful snow-white bird also lives in Antarctica. It is called the snow petrel, and the chicks are brought out on the icy mainland 500 km from the coast.

For seals, Antarctica is their home. The largest of them is the southern elephant seal. Its body length is more than 5 meters, and its mass reaches two and a half tons. The male has a peculiar leather fold on the muzzle. It is somewhat reminiscent of an elephant's trunk. Thanks to this formation, the animal got its name. The Weddell seal lives in the harsh Antarctic ice. This is a calm large animal that does not like to travel. In winter, it does not migrate to warm regions, but remains off the coast of the icy continent. The seal spends the whole cold season in the water, and gnaws a hole in the ice, through which it breathes, periodically appearing above the water surface. But the crabeater seal is a real traveler. In winter, he settles more comfortably on an ice floe and swims as far north as possible, waiting for the end of cold weather in warm regions.

Among the clumsy and good-natured-looking seals, there is also a dangerous predator. His name is sea leopard. In length, it reaches 4 meters, and its weight is about half a ton. He attacks both penguins and his fellow seals. Animals of the Antarctic are in constant tension and fear, as the predator has great strength and dexterity. In water, the sea leopard develops a speed of 40 km / h, that is, it swims as fast as the killer whale. He has powerful jaws with long fangs, with which he tears the skins of his victims.

But the Ross seal is the exact opposite. He lives in the inaccessible areas of the southern region, never offends anyone, and very little is known about him. This animal is prone to vocals. It is capable of making loud melodic sounds, somewhat reminiscent of a musical melody. In the Antarctic region, a distant relative of true seals has found a haven and a southern fur seal. This is an eared seal. He chose the islands closest to Antarctica as his habitat. In summer, on the rocky shores, the animal arranges rookeries, and spends the winter months in the Southern Ocean, moving north - closer to warmth.

cetaceans

Antarctic waters have chosen for themselves the largest living creature on the planet - the blue whale. The length of his body reaches 30 meters, and the weight is 150 tons. This mighty mammal plows the boundless waters of the Southern Ocean like a huge ocean liner. In the cold winter months, it moves north and ends up in the latitudes of Australia and Madagascar. But in the spring it hurries south to fully enjoy the pleasant coolness of the Antarctic waters.

The humpback whale also lives in the Southern Ocean - humpback whale. It is half the size of the blue whale and weighs five times less. But its size is still impressive, and its violent temper forces people to be more careful if they find themselves dangerously close to this mammal.

The ubiquitous killer whale is also a regular in Antarctic waters. It represents the most formidable and powerful predator in this region. Both whales and seals suffer from it. But Antarctic animals suffer much more damage from predatory human activities. For the last 200 years, he has mercilessly and purposefully exterminated the rich fauna of the cold south. The result was not long in coming. Many species are on the verge of extinction. Nowadays, thanks to laws and prohibitions aimed at saving animals, the situation is slowly but steadily improving.

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Antarctica is not like other continents. This is one of the coldest parts of the world where the temperature is extremely low. Is the air here very dry, cold? and, except for penguins and seals, other land animals in this area are almost impossible to see. On the islands you can find several varieties of worms, butterflies without wings (flightless) and crayfish. Of the birds, the plover and the plover are considered the most famous.

In summer, the following birds fly here:

  • albatrosses;
  • seagulls;
  • petrels and others.

All other inhabitants of Antarctica live in the ocean. This area is distinguished by a huge number of predators, which, despite the snow cover, survive perfectly, hunt and get their own food. Various mammals live here, there are practically no poachers on the territory, and those who live here are old, not new residents. Seals are predatory animals from the pinniped family. A thick layer of fat helps them withstand the severe frosts of this region. Many species of seals live in the waters of Antarctica:

  1. wedella;
  2. rossa;
  3. crabeater;
  4. southern elephant seal.

Weddell seal

One of the residents of this glacial continent is the Weddell seal. James Wedella is the commander of an industrial expedition, as well as a resident of this continent, after whom this animal was named. This beast has a very pleasant smiling face, but it is not so attractive with its slanting cat eyes and smile, but with the strong cries that it emits from the bottom of the sea during the mating season.

Females and males are the same size and, of course, they are the kind of seals that can give birth to two at once. Their embryos are born in three weeks and after a month and a half they weigh one hundred kilograms. Puppies are born on the coast, the mother comes ashore shortly before giving birth and after birth, until the end of the lactation period, remains with the newly appeared puppy on the coast, but after the completion of feeding with milk, the female releases her embryo for an independent life.

This type of mammal due to lack of air, it gnaws through glaciers, their teeth lose their sharpness and break. Thus, animals lose the ability to eat normally and have a life expectancy of no more than twenty years. The sea becomes their most secure place of permanent residence, seals expose only their nostrils from the water. I would like to note that, despite this fact, Wedell seals do not like land, their enemies are sea leopards, which catch them and kill them at the very bottom.

It seems that seals on the shore see much worse than under water, are very friendly with the people they meet, as well as with the animals living with them in the neighborhood. People are noticed in the case of very close communication, lie down on the ground and greet people, as if saying "salute". In winter, they do not come to the surface of the ice, which is associated with severe frosts that prevail in this area. Seals talk to each other, grunting and yelping.

Ross seal

Ross is from the family of mammals and is one of the true seals. It is named after the American explorer Ross. In size, it is from the family of the smallest Antarctic seals. Their body length reaches two meters in size. These animals have a large amount of fat and hide their heads in this thick layer of fat in order to be able to protect themselves from severe frosts. The seals are very good divers and swim at high speeds and hunt for small fish. This type of seal lives, like the previous one, for about twenty years.

They do not live in groups, but, on the contrary, prefer to live alone. He is fat and barrel-shaped, and lives in places that are inaccessible to humans. This predator sings melodicly. His language is incomprehensible to many, but well known to his kindred. Likes to eat octopuses and other mammals.

crabeater seal

crabeater - one of the most common types in the world and belongs to the family of true seals. They are slender, their muzzles are slightly elongated and thin. They are brown in color, but after molting they become creamy white. Crab-eaters are four times the weight of all other seals. Although the name contains the word crab, they do not use them at all in their food, these animals of Antarctica tend to eat fish.

Their cubs are born in autumn and by the end of feeding with milk, their weight reaches up to 110 kilograms. While feeding the puppy, the male sits on the surface of the ice and does not allow him to approach the female until the end of feeding. They are fed for two or three weeks, in weight they add four kilos a day. Seals jump from ice floes very dexterously and dive well into the water. Scientists suggest that this dexterity is due to the fact that crabeaters protect themselves from predators attacking them. Carry their children for about nine months.

They die and live on the bottom of the ocean, like previous predators, for about twenty years.

Sea Elephant

There are two types of elephant seals: northern and southern. The northern one differs from the southern one in a narrower and southern trunk. Due to the large number hunters at one time, the northern type almost disappeared from the face of the earth. The ban on fishing in this area helped restore the number of these elephants. The southern variety was also heavily hunted: they were mercilessly killed. But now they are protected.

Sea elephants, due to the presence of a process similar to the trunk of an elephant, which begins to grow in them by the age of eight years, got their name. Their body is thick, the head is small compared to the body, they have flippers instead of limbs. They live on land, but because of the obesity of their body, it is very difficult to move around and prefer to sleep more. They sleep very soundly and during sleep they emit strong snores. They sleep under the sun and do not like to be awakened. In the event of an attempt to wake them from sleep, they can kick hard or hit with a stone.

This kind of predator It spends most of its life in the water and only comes to land to mate. At this time, they gather in groups, and the rest of the time they prefer to live alone. Elephant seals, due to the gravity of their weight for food, can dive to a depth of 1400 meters and remain under water for a long time. They eat fish, they have nuts in the stomach for digestion. They have thick skin and short hair. Females and males of this species differ greatly in size and are the largest among pinnipeds and among seals. This type of animal gives birth to one cub.

Describing some facts from the life of pinnipeds, we can draw the following conclusions: despite tangible differences in size, everyone lives by the same rules for life. They are all stacked the same, with the exception of the elephant seal, whose head is smaller than the body.

Pinnipeds spend some of their time on land, but they are essentially marine because they feed in the water. This is where elephants find food:

  • shellfish;
  • crustaceans.

All elephant seals are more adapted to life in water than on land, they are excellent swimmers, as a rule, they swim with their front limbs. The most terrestrial among all is the crabeater seal, which goes out onto the ice floe and loves to sit on it. He moves so deftly on the ice that not everyone could catch him. This species feels confident on land, because killer whales often come here.

Animals of this series have poor eyesight because they spend most of their lives at sea, they have a good sense of smell due to vibrissae, which all pinnipeds possess.

Penguins

Penguins are a breed of bird living in Antarctica. These are the most common and popular of all flying people living in Antarctica. Penguins, like other terrestrial ones that live on glaciers, get their food in the water, dive perfectly to the very depths and eat small fish and krill.

Consider and compare emperor penguins and adele.

Adélie is a variety that has both the back and the head and neck in black. They breed on land and spend the rest of their time in the water. The males prepare the mating grounds, after which the females incubate their eggs. During the incubation period of the female do not eat and lose half the weight.

The largest in size are the imperial ones. This type of penguin is very clumsy in movement and maintains balance with the help of their flippers - wings. Their paws help them move on land.

But in the water they are excellent divers and find their food very cleverly. On land, you can meet them on a walk alone, but most often in pairs. When you see them on the shore, you can compare them to people walking and discussing very important issues. Summer is spent at sea, and in winter acquire offspring.

When choosing a pair, emperor penguins are monogamous and among a large number of females, males come up with cries and choose a mate for themselves, but after choosing they never change them. The eggs are first incubated by the males, and then by the females. Imperial females, like Adele, do not eat themselves during feeding and also lose a lot of weight.

From the vast majority of birds they are distinguished by the fact that when walking they keep their posture very even and seem important and well-dressed people. They walk slowly, clumsily and, surprisingly, fly very smoothly over water.

Penguins belong to the group of those animals whose lives are constantly threatened due to the abundance of enemies. They are primarily people who often destroy them, and some predators like petrels. Embryos often die due to insufficient food.

Penguins are intelligent animals with short legs, very long necks, and feathers with scales. They have a large beak and a rather small head.

Penguins are at the stage of extinction, their population has declined sharply due to the melting of the ice, because their habitats are being destroyed, and food resources are becoming less and less.

Antarctica is the land of eternal cold, frost, strong wind, ice and snow. And the creatures living on its territory are very unusual due to the harsh climatic conditions.

People do not live permanently in Antarctica; by status, it does not belong to any state. Scientists from all over the world come here for research, and only in this case the silence of the mainland is broken. It is the coldest corner of the world and the continent of the Earth, the lowest temperature is recorded on it.

This part of the world is a place of survival. The animals of Antarctica are very strong and formidable, but despite this, living here means fighting and surviving. The predators who live here fight fierce battles with their enemies, but in their places of residence they are friendly and very caring. This area serves as a habitat for many animals. It is magnificent and beautiful, despite all the difficulties of living conditions.

Although Antarctica can be called a real ice kingdom on Earth, here, just like in other parts of our planet, there is life, about which we know very little. We offer you to find out some interesting facts about the animals that inhabit Antarctica:

- Antarctica is the only place on the planet where emperor penguins are found. This species of penguin is the heaviest of all existing in the world, and they can also breed in the difficult conditions of the Antarctic winter;

- The Weddell seal is one of the cutest animals on the planet, and you can simply admire its face with huge eyes. Seals of this species are excellent divers and can hold their breath for a long time, which allows them to descend to search for food to a depth of 800 meters;

- The blue or blue whale is the largest animal. Its weight reaches 150 tons. The heart of this giant alone weighs more than a ton. In one day, a whale can eat up to 4 million shrimp;

- the petrel bird of prey feeds not only on fish, but also sometimes hunts for penguins. During the migration period, these strong birds, with the help of wind power, can circle the globe;

- due to the incredibly strong winds in Antarctica, there is not a single flying insect. Here you can only meet the wingless midge Belgica Antarctida, no more than one and a half centimeters in length;

- Antarctica is the only continent on which there are no ants at all;

- in Antarctica there are no terrestrial representatives of the animal world, except for penguins;

- many are mistaken, believing that polar bears live in Antarctica. They are not there, and their habitat is the Arctic. However, scientists are increasingly thinking about how to populate polar bears in Antarctica, as Antarctica begins to gradually thaw;

- in Antarctica, the largest subspecies of seals is found, which is the southern elephant seal. In one such individual, there is much more fat than meat. These interesting animals are known for mating games, during which they can be seriously injured;

- here you can meet such a dangerous predator as a sea leopard. Due to the developed muscles and a relatively thin layer of fat, this animal is quite mobile, which allows it to hunt not only large fish, but also penguins and seals. That's just for its mobility, the sea leopard pays less resistance to cold.