Antarctic animals - The most abundant and best known animals from the southern continent, penguins, whales seals, albatrosses, other seabirds and a range of invertebrates you may have not heard of such as krill which form the basis of the Antarctic food web. Most of the animals of the south polar region are seasonal visitors, conditions are just too hard for most animals to live there in the winter.

Antarctic Animals
A List of Antarctic Wildlife
Arctic animals here - north polar

Antarctica has an abundance of animal life including the charismatic mega fauna that you have seen pictures and videos of, though you may be surprised to find that they live far more interesting and complex lives than you imagine. Almost all of these animals are dependent on the sea, the largest truly land animal is a wingless midge about 13mm / 0.5 of an inch long. As the animal life is dependent on the sea and are mainly warm blooded, they tend to be pretty large as a survival technique against the extreme and relentless cold. That Antarctica can support such an abundance of large animals is a result of the productivity of the southern polar sea.

Penguins



Emperor penguins

Aptenodytes forsteri


King Penguins

Aptenodytes patagonica


Adelie penguin

Pygoscelis adeliae


Chinstrap penguin

Pygoscelis antarctica


Gentoo penguin

Pygoscelis papua

 

Whales and Seals



Whale species

Species and lifestyle


Weddell seals
Leptonychotes weddelli


Southern Fur seal
Arctocephalus gazella


Southern Elephant seal

Mirounga leonina


Crabeater seal

Lobodon carcinophagus


Leopard Seal

Hydruga leptonyx

Other Animals



Krill

Euphausia superba


Wandering albatross

Diomedea exulans


Snow petrel

Pagrodama nivea


Antarctic skua

Catharacta maccormicki

blue eyed shag
Blue eyed shag

Phalacrocopax atriceps

giant petrel
Giant petrel

Macronectes giganteus

cape petrel
Cape pigeon

Daption capensis

   snowy sheathbill
Snowy Sheathbill

Chionis albus

arctic tern
Arctic tern

Sterna vittata

inverebrates
Antarctic Land Invertebrates