Antarctica is a frigid polar continent located at the bottom of the world. Its nearest continental neighbors are Australia and South America, but these lands have little in common with Antarctica in terms of habitat and biodiversity.
Because of its limited rainfall, Antarctica is considered a frozen desert. Most of its wildlife are extremophiles – rare organisms well-adapted to live in environments in which most of Earth’s creatures would find it difficult to survive. Among the most recognizable of Antarctica’s wildlife are penguins, leopard seals, and killer whales.
Even more diverse animals live on the Antarctic Peninsula and the surrounding islands, which have a milder climate than Antarctica itself. Keep reading to learn facts about the wild and wonderful animals that call Antarctica home.
The Official National Animal of Antarctica
Male Emperor Penguins take care of the baby chicks while the females hunt for food.
©vladsilver/Shutterstock.com
The penguin is the national symbol of Antarctica. Eight species of penguins live in Antarctica, and no one is designated as the national animal. Rather, the penguin family as a whole symbolizes this rugged continent.
These incredible birds achieve astonishing feats every day to achieve a stable life in the frozen tundra they call home. Some species have been known to walk up to 60 miles across ice sheets to reach their breeding grounds. Penguins can hold their breath longer than any other birds (up to 27 minutes!) They use this skill to dive to depths of as low as 1,640 feet to catch food in the frigid waters off the Antarctic coast.
Where To Find The Top Wild Animals in Antarctica
Elephant Seals and King Penguins congregate on the temperate coast of South Georgia Island.
©Brocken Inaglory / Creative Commons – Original
Antarctica’s animals are mostly found along the coast, where the extreme temperatures of the ice sheets closer to the South Pole are not as harsh. There are many islands north of Antarctica where local wildlife may migrate to during the winter, other creatures like penguins choose to tough out the cold season by huddling together for warmth.
The Most Dangerous Animals In Antarctica Today
Orcas are some of the deadliest animals in Antarctica.
©Jaime Ramos – Public Domain by National Science Foundation
Leopard seals and orcas are the most dangerous animals to inhabit Antarctica. Pods of orcas can take on prey as large as great white sharks and blue whales. It is rare a rare occurrence but they have occasionally attacked small boats.
Leopard seals have been known to strike out at or bite photographers, sightseers, or divers who got too close. As with orcas, this is rare and leopard seals are not normally dangerous to humans – so long as we keep a respectful distance.
Elephant seals are another large Antarctic predator possessed of incredible power. Though they move too slowly on land to typically threaten humans, these creatures are a menace to local fish, squids, sharks and rays.
Antarctica’s Largest Animals
Blue Whale’s tongues are the size of an African Elephant!
©Danny Sullivan/Shutterstock.com
The Blue Whale is the largest animal in Antarctica, as well as the world. Blue Whales from around the frozen continent have fetched sizes larger than any others, reaching up to 330,000 lbs and 110 feet! These giants of the sea also live incredibly long lives, some reports estimating they can expect to live up to 200 years old.
Endangered Animals
Sei Whale populations are in at the mercy of climate change and human interference.
©Christin Khan, NOAA / NEFSC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons – Original / License
Half of the world’s penguin species are endangered of becoming extinct, including the iconic emperor penguin. Many albatross species and a bird called Abbott’s booby are also endangered. The Amsterdam albatross and Tristan albatross are considered critically endangered of becoming extinct.
Among the cetaceans, the sei whale, blue whale, and fin whale are endangered of becoming extinct.
What causes Antarctica’s animals to be endangered? Pollution, climate change, and overfishing are the biggest risk factors. Rats also prey on the eggs of many seabirds. Because Antarctica was separated from the rest of the world for so long, its ecosystems are especially susceptible to the changes brought about by humans.
What is the Rarest Animal in Antarctica?
Amsterdam Albatrosses are endimic to Amsterdam Island.
©Vincent Legendre, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons – Original / License
Antarctica’s rarest animal is the Amsterdam Albatross. This seabird can only be found on Amsterdam Island in the Southern Indian Ocean above Antarctica. Here the drainage of a local peat bog used for breeding by the albatross, in addition to longline fishing and a growing population of cats, cattle and ship rats has caused the lone population of these rare birds to dwindle down to some 92 individuals.