We know that Antarctica , or Antarctic continent, is the coldest place on the planet and although it may seem that it is nothing more than a vast territory covered in ice , the truth is that there are several species of animals that live there. Let us know next, the 5 species of autochthonous animals of Antarctica.
The 5 species of indigenous animals of Antarctica
Although penguins are perhaps the most popular animal species in Antarctica (of the 18 species of penguins that exist in the world, five of them breed only in Antarctica), the truth is that it is not the only one. In fact, there are four other species of animals that are indigenous to the area and that you may be surprised to learn about. Let’s find out what they are!
Penguins
As we have already mentioned, the most recognized animal in Antarctica is the penguin. This flightless diving bird lives exclusively in the southern hemisphere, but only five of the eighteen known species are residents of Antarctica that are endemic as breeders on the mainland, adjacent ice, or neighboring islands. The best known species is the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), the largest diving bird on Earth and the only permanent inhabitant of Antarctica. The other four penguin species from Antarctica and the subantarctic islands are the chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), the gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), the macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus), and the Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). Due to the cold ocean current, the other penguin species live on subantarctic islands.
Seals
In the same way that it happens with penguins, there are several species of seals that live in Antarctica. In particular, there are six species of seals: the crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus), the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddelli), the Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossii), the fine seal (Arctocephalus spec.) and the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx). The number of seals is much higher in the Antarctic than in the Arctic. The total world population of Antarctic crabeater seal, for example, is estimated to be between eleven and twelve million.
This vast population of seals, like many other species, thrives mainly due to the huge reserves of Antarctic krill.
Whales
Of the 80 species of whales in the world, 14 are endemic to Antarctica and are usually present in the Antarctic summer. They include six baleen whales: the blue whale, the largest mammal on Earth; the fin whale, the second largest mammal in the world; the whale sei; the humpback whale; and the minke whale and common whales, in addition to seven toothed whales such as the killer whale, the sperm whale or the bottlenose whales. The hunting of whales and seals in the early 20th century decimated their populations. While some species have recovered quite well, the populations of others, such as the blue whale, are still far from ideal and are still classified as endangered.
Pay them
The pagalos ( Catharacta skua or Stercorarius skua ) are marine birds that have large wings which originate, live and reproduce off the coast of Antarctica . Despite this, they tend to live in open ocean areas. An imposing bird of a grayish brown color, which in addition to its large wings are half a meter in size.
They usually nest next to penguin colonies, so that they can more easily find food. They feed on fish but also on the young of other birds. When winter comes they migrate to the North Pacific Ocean .
Krill
Although the aforementioned animals are well known and we always see them on ice sheets of Antarctica, the truth is that the largest number of higher animal species present in Antarctica is relatively small. They are Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) whose habitat is limited to narrow, ice-free coastal areas and the ocean , on which they depend for their food. In fact, it is the most important link in the food chain in the Southern Ocean. A shrimp-like crustacean that is four to six cm in length. It feeds mainly on planktonic diatoms and zooplankton.
With an estimated total incidence of one billion tons in Antarctica, krill is the basic food resource for many living creatures such as squid, bony fish, as well as the aforementioned penguins and seabirds, seals and whales.
