Wildlife in Antarctica
Very few animals and plants are found in Antarctica. Animals found in Antarctica include penguins, seals, snow petrels, and Killer whales/ Orcas. The plants list is very small as not many survive in the harsh environment. There are variety of penguins in this region. Below is a list of all the animals and plants found in Antarctica.
Penguins
Adelie penguin – Adelie penguins live in large colonies, they are short and wide which makes them look overweight.
Emperor penguin – It is the largest and heaviest of penguins and grows to over 3 feet tall.
King penguin – It is the second largest of the penguins.
Rock hopper penguin – It is one of smaller penguins and has feathers around the eyes which look like elaborate eyelashes.
Chinstrap penguin – Their name is derived from the fact that they have a narrow black band under their heads. They are also called as ringed penguins and stone-cracker penguins as well.
Gentoo penguin – Gentoo penguins are easily recognized as they have a wide white stripe on their head and a long tail.
Seals
Antarctic fur seal – They are more closely related to sea lions than seals. They have long and muscular flippers and can walk on all fours.
Weddell seal – Weddell seals are known for their docile nature and are easily approached by humans. Weddell seal pups are very cute.
Southern elephant seal - Southern elephant seals are the largest seals in the world weighing up to 4 tonnes. They are mainly called Elephant seals due to the their massive size.
Crab - eater seal - Crab - eater seals are very common in Antarctica. They are large seals weighing about 220 kg.
Leopard seal - The Leopard seal is one of the largest predators in Antarctica. They weigh between 260 - 500 kg.
Birds
Snow Petrel - The most beautiful bird in Antarctica is the Snow Petrel. Its whole body is white except its eyes and beak.
Wandering Albatross - They have the longest wingspan compared to any other bird on the planet, up to 3.5 meters long!
Antarctic Skua - Antarctic Skuas weigh between 900 - 1600 g, the males usually being smaller and lighter than the females.
Other animals
Killer whales - Also known as the Orca, Killer whales are only black and white in colour and weigh between 8 - 11 tonnes.
Krill - Krill is a small crustacean which is towards the bottom of the food chain. It is approximately 5 cm in length.
Plants
Algae - There are two types of algae: Red algae and Green algae. They can also grow in snow.
Lichen - Lichens grow on the rocks, on loose rocks that are on the surface and on the faces of cliffs.
Moss - Mosses only grow in places which are safe from ice scouring. Mosses in Antarctica are all about the greenery.
Plankton - Plankton is made up of many plant leftovers in the ocean and is a major part of the food chain.
Fungi - There is more fungi in rest of the world compared Antarctica, but there still is a lot of it in Antarctica.
Penguins
Adelie penguin – Adelie penguins live in large colonies, they are short and wide which makes them look overweight.
Emperor penguin – It is the largest and heaviest of penguins and grows to over 3 feet tall.
King penguin – It is the second largest of the penguins.
Rock hopper penguin – It is one of smaller penguins and has feathers around the eyes which look like elaborate eyelashes.
Chinstrap penguin – Their name is derived from the fact that they have a narrow black band under their heads. They are also called as ringed penguins and stone-cracker penguins as well.
Gentoo penguin – Gentoo penguins are easily recognized as they have a wide white stripe on their head and a long tail.
Seals
Antarctic fur seal – They are more closely related to sea lions than seals. They have long and muscular flippers and can walk on all fours.
Weddell seal – Weddell seals are known for their docile nature and are easily approached by humans. Weddell seal pups are very cute.
Southern elephant seal - Southern elephant seals are the largest seals in the world weighing up to 4 tonnes. They are mainly called Elephant seals due to the their massive size.
Crab - eater seal - Crab - eater seals are very common in Antarctica. They are large seals weighing about 220 kg.
Leopard seal - The Leopard seal is one of the largest predators in Antarctica. They weigh between 260 - 500 kg.
Birds
Snow Petrel - The most beautiful bird in Antarctica is the Snow Petrel. Its whole body is white except its eyes and beak.
Wandering Albatross - They have the longest wingspan compared to any other bird on the planet, up to 3.5 meters long!
Antarctic Skua - Antarctic Skuas weigh between 900 - 1600 g, the males usually being smaller and lighter than the females.
Other animals
Killer whales - Also known as the Orca, Killer whales are only black and white in colour and weigh between 8 - 11 tonnes.
Krill - Krill is a small crustacean which is towards the bottom of the food chain. It is approximately 5 cm in length.
Plants
Algae - There are two types of algae: Red algae and Green algae. They can also grow in snow.
Lichen - Lichens grow on the rocks, on loose rocks that are on the surface and on the faces of cliffs.
Moss - Mosses only grow in places which are safe from ice scouring. Mosses in Antarctica are all about the greenery.
Plankton - Plankton is made up of many plant leftovers in the ocean and is a major part of the food chain.
Fungi - There is more fungi in rest of the world compared Antarctica, but there still is a lot of it in Antarctica.
Here is an animation depicting the food chain of Antarctic Animals. By: Tisha
Click on the links given below to learn more about Antarctic animals.