The Animals Of Antarctica

King%20Penguins%20form%20large%20breeding%20colonies%2C%20such%20as%20this%20one%20on%20South%20Georgia%20Island.%20The%20breeding%20cycle%20lasts%2014-16%20months%2C%20so%20the%20colony%20is%20always%20occupied.%20These%20penguins%20attempt%20to%20breed%20every%20year%20but%20are%20usually%20only%20successful%20every%20other%20year%20or%20twice%20in%20three%20years.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

This%20breeding%20colony%20of%20King%20Penguins%20numbers%20over%20100%2C000.%20Penguins%20come%20and%20go%2C%20but%20this%20colony%20spends%20the%20year%20near%20St.%20Andrews%20Bay%20on%20South%20Georgia%20Island.%20These%20penguins%20breed%20in%20the%20northern%20areas%20of%20Antarctica%20and%20neighboring%20islands.%20The%20world%26%238217%3Bs%20population%20of%20King%20Penguins%20exceeds%202.3%20million%20pairs.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

King%20Penguins%20are%20the%20second%20largest%20species%20of%20penguins%2C%20at%20about%203%20feet%20tall%20and%20and%2024-35%20pounds.%20They%20have%20four%20layers%20of%20feathers%20to%20protect%20themselves%20from%20the%20extreme%20southern%20climate.%20The%20outer%20layer%20is%20oiled%20and%20waterproof%2C%20while%20the%20inner%20layers%20are%20down%2C%20making%20them%20extremely%20warm.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

This%20King%20Penguin%20is%20in%20the%20process%20of%20molting.%20King%20Penguin%20chicks%20are%20born%20with%20fur%2C%20to%20protect%20them%20from%20the%20harsh%20climate.%20But%20the%20fur%20won%26%238217%3Bt%20keep%20them%20warm%20enough%20in%20the%20water.%20So%20they%20stay%20on%20land%20for%2014-16%20months%2C%20until%20they%26%238217%3Bre%20ready%20to%20go%20to%20sea.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

This%20King%20Penguin%20is%20further%20along%20in%20the%20molting%20process.%20It%20will%20soon%20shed%20its%20furry%20hood%20and%20grow%20the%20outer%20feathers%20that%20will%20protect%20it%20in%20the%20water.%20Until%20that%20point%2C%20this%20penguin%20relies%20on%20its%20parents%20to%20bring%20food.%20Not%20being%20ready%20to%20swim%20makes%20this%20penguin%20more%20susceptible%20to%20predators.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

Sailors%20called%20young%20King%20Penguins%2C%20%26%238220%3BOakum%20Boys%2C%26%238221%3B%20because%20their%20brown%2C%20fluffy%20plumage%20resembles%20the%20color%20of%20oakum%2C%20used%20to%20caulk%20timbers%20on%20sailing%20ships%2C%20These%20year-old%20penguins%20will%20soon%20shed%20their%20fluffy%20brown%20plumage%20and%20adopt%20the%20colors%20of%20an%20adult.%20At%20that%20point%2C%20they%26%238217%3Bll%20be%20ready%20to%20go%20to%20sea.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

The%20Antarctic%20fur%20seal%20breeds%20almost%20exclusively%20at%20South%20Georgia%20Island%20near%20Antarctica.%20Very%20heavily%20hunted%20in%20the%2018th%20and%2019th%20centuries%2C%20this%20seal%20was%20thought%20to%20be%20extinct%20by%20the%20early%2020th%20century.%20It%20has%20since%20thrived%20under%20the%20protection%20of%20the%20governments%20that%20control%20the%20waters%20where%20it%20lives.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

A%20baby%20fur%20seal%20is%20called%20a%20pup.%20It%20is%20weaned%20at%20about%204%20months%2C%20after%20which%20time%20it%20will%20head%20out%20to%20sea%2C%20often%20for%20years.%20This%20seal%20will%20grow%20to%20over%206%20feet%20long%20and%20200%20pounds%2C%20though%20males%20tend%20to%20be%20larger%20than%20females.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

A%20recent%20study%20found%20that%20climate%20change%20can%20affect%20fur%20seal%20pups%20in%20their%20first%20few%20months%20of%20life.%20Wetter%20and%20windier%20conditions%20are%20predicted%20for%20Antarctica%20in%20the%20coming%20years.%20Young%20fur%20seals%20will%20expend%20more%20energy%20keeping%20warm%20and%2C%20thus%2C%20less%20energy%20growing%20and%20developing.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

A%20baby%20fur%20seal%20gets%20most%20of%20its%20energy%20from%20its%20mother%26%238217%3Bs%20milk.%20Less%20availability%20of%20prey%2C%20due%20to%20a%20worsening%20climate%2C%20may%20lead%20them%20to%20conserve%20that%20energy%20and%20continue%20to%20rely%20on%20the%20mother.%20The%20baby%20fur%20seal%20will%20then%20have%20trouble%20sustaining%20itself%20without%20that%20source%20of%20nutrition.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

When%20not%20breeding%2C%20the%20fur%20seal%20spends%20most%20of%20its%20time%20at%20sea%20chasing%20its%20prey.%20That%20prey%20includes%20squid%2C%20krill%20and%20medium-size%20fish.%20They%26%238217%3Bve%20even%20been%20known%20to%20go%20after%20sea%20birds%2C%20specifically%20penguins.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

This%20Humpback%20Whale%20is%20playing%20with%20the%20ship%2C%20surfacing%20on%20one%20side%20before%20swimming%20underneath%20to%20the%20other%20side.%20These%20whales%20can%20grow%20up%20to%20about%2052%20feet%20long%20and%20weigh%20up%20to%20almost%2080%2C000%20pounds.%20They%26%238217%3Bre%20found%20in%20oceans%20all%20over%20the%20world%2C%20including%20the%20Southern%20Ocean%20near%20Antarctica.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

The%20typical%20humpback%20whale%20will%20migrate%20up%20to%2016%2C000%20miles%20each%20year.%20They%20spend%20summers%20feeding%20on%20krill%20and%20small%20fish%20in%20polar%20waters%20and%20then%20travel%20toward%20the%20equator%20to%20mate%20and%20breed%20during%20cooler%20months.%20In%20the%20winter%2C%20they%20live%20off%20of%20their%20fat%20reserves.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

The%20Humpback%20Whale%20was%20on%20the%20brink%20of%20extinction%20in%20the%20mid-1960s%2C%20with%20a%20population%20of%20about%205%2C000.%20The%20formation%20of%20the%20International%20Whaling%20Commission%20and%20stricter%20hunting%20laws%20have%20allowed%20population%20numbers%20to%20rise%20significantly.%20Current%20worldwide%20population%20is%20now%20estimated%20at%2080%2C000.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

Chinstrap%20Penguins%2C%20which%20can%20grow%20up%20to%203%20feet%20and%20weigh%20up%20to%2013%20pounds%2C%20like%20to%20nest%20in%20cliffs.%20To%20lay%20their%20eggs%2C%20they%20choose%20nesting%20sites%20hundreds%20of%20yards%20above%20the%20waterline%20that%20blow%20free%20of%20snow%20early%20in%20the%20season.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

The%20Chinstrap%20Penguin%20thrives%20on%20barren%20islands%20and%20large%20icebergs%20in%20and%20around%20the%20Antarctic%20Peninsula.%20They%26%238217%3Bll%20swim%2050%20miles%20offshore%20each%20day%20in%20search%20of%20krill%2C%20shrimp%20and%20fish.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

A%20Gentoo%20Penguin%20can%20be%20identified%20by%20the%20orange%20beak%20and%20wide%20stripe%20crossing%20its%20head.%20It%20is%20the%20third%20largest%20of%20the%20penguins%2C%20growing%20to%20about%203%20feet%20and%2020%20pounds%2C%20but%20also%20the%20fastest%20swimmer.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

The%20Gentoo%20Penguin%20thrives%20in%20cold%20and%20harsh%20climates.%20They%20like%20to%20nest%20and%20breed%20on%20ice-free%20surfaces%2C%20often%20well%20inland%20from%20the%20coast.%20Nests%20are%20usually%20made%20of%20relatively%20large%20stones%2C%20prized%20by%20females%20and%20fought%20over%20by%20males.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

These%203%20Gentoo%20Penguins%20are%20walking%20near%20Stromness%2C%20the%20South%20Georgia%20Island%20whaling%20station.%20Major%20populations%20can%20be%20found%20here%20and%20on%20the%20Antarctic%20Peninsula.%20The%20worldwide%20population%20is%20estimated%20at%20300%2C000%20breeding%20pairs%2C%20placing%20it%20on%20the%20Near%20Threatened%20list.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

Elephant%20seals%20prosper%20around%20the%20Antarctic%20continent.%20South%20Georgia%20Island%20is%20home%20to%20the%20largest%20sub-population%20in%20the%20South%20Atlantic%2C%20with%20over%20400%2C000%20individuals.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

Elephant%20seals%20are%20very%20territorial%2C%20often%20fighting%20over%20mates.%20A%20male%20will%20threaten%20another%20male%20by%20raising%20up%20on%20his%20front%20flippers%20and%20vocalizing.%20If%20one%20of%20the%20seals%20doesn%26%238217%3Bt%20lay%20down%20and%20submit%2C%20a%20fight%20ensues%2C%20with%20the%20two%20males%20lunging%20at%20each%20other.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

An%20elephant%20seal%20lounges%20on%20a%20beach%20near%20the%20Antarctic%20Peninsula.%20These%20seals%20can%20grow%20to%20over%2015%20feet%20long%20and%203%20tons%20in%20weight.%20The%20elephant%20seal%20was%20hunted%20to%20near%20extinction%20in%20the%2019th%20century%20but%20the%20population%20recovered%20to%20over%20half%20a%20million%20animals.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29

In%20more%20recent%20years%2C%20the%20elephant%20seal%20population%20has%20once%20again%20started%20declining.%20Scientists%20theorize%20that%20it%20may%20be%20the%20result%20from%20declining%20numbers%20in%20the%20seal%26%238217%3Bs%20main%20food%20sources.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Jordan%20Spielman%29