"Antarctica. You know, that giant continent at the bottom of the earth that’s ruled by penguins and seals."
- C.B. Cook, “Twinepathy”
Upon this planet we call home, one can find a great multitude of forms of life. From the birds in the sky to the creatures beneath the waves, the creatures that move upon the earth to the ones that move below it. They are everywhere. Some can be seen in certain places around the world more than others. One of these places is none other than the Antarctic continent.
Despite being one of the most inhospitable places in the world, the continent of Antarctica is teeming with a unique variety of wildlife. Skirting below and across the pack ice, the Leopard seal patrols the water of the continent in search of its prey. Meanwhile the Southern elephant seal comes ashore to rest and mate.
In the skies above the ice soar a multitude of avian species. From the Albatross to the Arctic and Antarctic terns, the South polar skua to the Antarctic petrel, many species of bird lay their eggs and hunt upon this continent.
As the birds fly above the ice, below it in the depths a world awaits. Humpback whales and Blue whales fill the ocean depths with their songs, while the Orca hunts down its prey. But they are not alone. Antarctic krill make their way through the water in swarms while the Colossal squid lies in wait to ambush its own prey.
Though of all the creatures that inhabit the continent, none is more known worldwide…than the penguin. These flightless birds have long made the continent of Antarctica either their home or their breeding grounds. The Chinstrap and Adélie penguins are two such species that use the continent as their breeding grounds. However, there is one other species that is the most known of the penguins, and braves the harsh Antarctic winters to trek across the ice to their own breeding grounds: The Emperor penguin.
The continent of Antarctica has many wondrous creatures that call it home. The sounds echo throughout the mountains and valleys, constantly reaffirming that life is bountiful there. Keep watch for the next blog post in this series, where it will be based on the creatures of Africa!
“If Antarctica were music it would be Mozart. Art, and it would be Michelangelo. Literature, and it would be Shakespeare. And yet it is something even greater; the only place on earth that is still as it should be. May we never tame it.”
- Andrew Denton
More in this Series: Part 1: North America | Part 2: South America | Part 3: Europe | Part 4: Asia | Part 5: Australia