Animal Adaptations Antarctica

leapord seal

Leopard seals

COMMON NAME: Leopard Seal

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hydrurga leptonyx

TYPE: Mammals

DIET: Carnivores

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 12 to 15 years

SIZE 3 to 3.5m

WEIGHT: Up to 381kg

RELATIVE TO A 1.8m tall MAN

Orca

COMMON NAME: Orca (Killer Whale)

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Orcinus orca

TYPE: Mammals

DIET: Carnivores

GROUP NAME: Pod

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 50 to 80 years

SIZE: 7 to 9.7m

WEIGHT: Up to 6 tons

SIZE RELATIVE TO A BUS:

Adelie Penguin

Adelie Penguin

COMMON NAME: Adelie Penguin

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pygoscelis adeliae

TYPE: Birds

DIET: Carnivores

GROUP NAME: Colony

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 11 to 20 years

SIZE: 69cm

WEIGHT: 3.8 to 5.4kg

SIZE RELATIVE TO A 1.8m tall MAN:

Leopard seal Habitat

Leopard seal

leopard seals are pagophillc which means they primarily inhabit pack ice and spend long periods of time underwater.

Orca

Orcas or killer whales are the most widely distributed mammal spotted all over the world but more common in colder climates.

Adelie Penguin

Adelie Penguins spend the winter offshore in the seas surrounding the Antarctic pack ice they also inhabit mostly open areas such as icebergs and rocky shores

Leopard seals

Leopard Seal

Leopard Seals have a streamlined body to move faster and more quietly with less resistance Leopard seals also have two layers of fur the 1st layer is short for insulation, the 2nd layer is waterproof and longer so they can stay in cold water for larger periods of time.

Orca

Orcas have many adaptions like a thick layer of blubber for warmth, echolocation for communication and finding food.

Killer whales have sharp teeth to rip apart and chew their prey they also travel in pods to hunt and share food, they can hold their breath under water for 1 to 4 minutes.

When diving deep under water Orcas lungs collapse to force air into their windpipe.

Orca

Adelie Penguin

Adelie Penguins have large amounts of down. This adaptation keeps them warm in cold climates.

Their wings are also shaped like paddles. This is useful as it allows them to swim very fast.

They have strong toenails this adaptation helps them grip the ice when they are walking or sliding.

Leopard seals Predators

Leopard Seals have very few predators. Killer whales and sharks may try to kill and eat leopard seals but only when they are desperate.

Leopard Seal

Orcas Predators

Orca

Killer whales are apex predators which means they are at the top of the food chain and have no predators except for humans.

Adelie Penguin predators

Adelie Penguins are a main food source for many animals like Orcas and Leopard seals,giant petrels and skuas.

Adelie Penguin

Leopard Seal

leopard seals come on land only during the breeding season which is November and December and then only in pairs or small groups. The female digs a hole in the ice where she will give birth and raise a single pup until the pup can take care of itself.

Orca

Orcas or killer whales breed once a year and give birth to a single calf which is raised and fed for about 18 months. As most mammal mothers, females tend to protect their young against other predators and remain beside them until they are capable of protecting themselves. During this time, they learn to hunt and defend.

Orca

Adelie Penguin

Adelie penguins breed in noisy rookeries in November and December. the parents build a nest out of rocks and take turns incubating their eggs. in March, the adults and their young return to the sea.

leopard Seal

Leopard Seal

The main threats to Leopard seals are pollution and getting hunted by humans. Because of pollution the sea ice on which the leopard seals breed are melting which is causing a slight decline in the population. Many Leopard seals have been hunted for sport as well to get rid of them due to their aggressive and predatory

behaviors.

Orcas

Orca

The two main man made threats that affect killer whales are whaling and human made toxins in waterways. Whaling was a massive threat to killer whales before 1981. Before that time nearly 6,000 killer whales were taken by Japanese, Norwegian, and Soviet whalers, although whaling is occurring despite bans orcas are making a come back. Industrial pollutants are introduced to the marine environment through mining operations, agriculture, pulp mills, and other coastal industrial development, household and garden pesticides can enter waterways through sewers and storm drains and can harm killer whales.

Adelie Penguins

Adelie Penguin

The two main impacts that Adelie Penguins have faced because of human impact are global warming and food reduction in areas where they breed. Commercial overfishing of krill and fish on the Antarctic seas is putting increasing pressure on food chains and food availability for Adelie penguins and could trigger the catastrophic collapse of many marine species. Polar regions have seen temperatures rise by several degrees in the last century. The slightest change in seawater temperatures could affect the ice and food availability.