Getting to know the animals of Antarctica
Not many animals live in Antarctic. There are few plants to eat and the water is very cold. That’s why the animals that do live in Antarctica, have adaptations. Adaptations are features and body parts that help animals live in the environments that they do. Like, some animals might swim fast to get away from predators. There are lots of different adaptations that make animals special. So let’s go and learn about those animals!
Penguins
When you first think about Antarctica, you probably think about penguins. Penguins are the most common animal in Antarctica. But sadly, it is not at the top of the food chain. Penguins are a secondary consumer. All they eat are krill, and small fish. Believe or not, penguins drink the ocean! Also they drink melted ice. Actually, it’s there choice. Did you know that penguins huddle together in a circle for warmth? It’s kind of like a big group hug, exept with penguins. You might ask, how does penguins stay warm with the freezing weather? Well penguins have a special adaptations called blubber. Blubber is something under there fur that keeps them warm all year round. But sadly, there are lots of predators of penguins. Penguins provide food for orcas or, killer whales. But penguins are very interesting to study. Maybe you could study them too! Let’s just say there the black and white animals of Antarctica!
Leopard Seals
Leopard seals are not common in Antarctica. But surprisingly, they are not at the top at the food chain. They are secondary consumers. But they eat a lot! They eat krill, penguins, birds, fish, and seals. It’s kind of weird to think that one seal, would eat another seal. You will find leopard seals near icey places. Normally, leopard seals will be alone unless they are with their babies. But sometimes, you see leopard seals hunt with 1 or 2 other seals. But sadly, leopard seals provide food for orcas. That’s good for orcas, but not so good for leopard seals. You might wonder, are leopard seals half seal half leopard? Well no. Leopard seals are only called leopard seals because of their color. They are a Orchid plum color. So they are really light purple. They have spots on them that make them look like a leopard. That’s why they are called leopard seals.
Orcas
You might have seen these killer whales at the aquarium. But these black and white babies are just as playful as dolphins! Most people think that orcas are part of the whale family. Well there not. There actually part of the dolphin family! Orcas are not at the top of the food chain but, they are more closer to the top than penguins and leopard seals. Orcas are tertiary consumers. They eat a lot more than leopard seals though. They eat seals, fish, sea birds, whales, otters, squid, and so much more! Some orcas live in aquariums, but wild orcas live in the Antarctica ocean. If you see wild orcas in the ocean, you will see them with other orcas, and they are probably hunting. But, sadly, they provide food for humans. It’s kind of hard to believe that humans would eat such a amazing creature. But orcas have a nice life while it lasts.
Blue Whales
Blue whales are not easy to spot. You probably thinking that there so big, they should be seen everywhere. But blue whales are endangered. That means there are few left in the world. There is only about 500,000 left in the world. You might think that blue whales have such a big mouth, they probably eat everything! But actually, they only eat one thing, krill. Krill is like a tiny shrimp that live in the water. Blue whales are carnivores because krill is meat. Blue whales have giant mouths. So while there mouths are open, they drink lots of water. That’s how they get there water. Blue whales don’t just swim in one ocean, they travel between oceans. They either travel alone, or they travel in pairs. Blue whales are magical creatures that should not be hurt. All animals should not be hurt if it is for no reason at all.
Did you learn anything?
So, did you learn anything new about consumers? There are so many consumers out there in the world. But you only learned about some in Antarctica. Animals live all over the world. All animals also have to eat. Even if a animal is not at the top of the food chain, they still are amazing in their own way. So if you ever take a trip to Antarctica, you’ll be chillin with some pretty cool animals!