Extreme Survival in a Frozen World
Life at the poles is not made easy for their inhabitants, with low temperatures, intense winds, and frozen oceans. The Antarctic is the coldest and windiest place on Earth, average winter temperatures at the South Pole reach -60°C. So how do marine animals manage to survive such an extreme climate? Let us look at some sea animals that call the poles their home, and how they have adapted to the cold.
Thick Fur
Having thick fur is how some animals keep themselves warm at the poles. Polar bears and seals have a double layered coat to keep them warm; the inner layer traps a warm air next to the skin and the outer layer of guard hair keeps them dry. Did you know that a polar bear’s fur is not actually white? Instead, it is transparent tubes that reflect light helping them camouflage in the white snow.
Feathers
Instead of fur, penguins have feathers to keep them warm. We find eight species of penguins spending their life in the Antarctic and surrounding regions: Emperor, Adélie, Gentoo, Rockhopper, Macaroni, Magellanic, Chinstrap, and King. Just like the fur we spoke about, penguin feathers keep them both warm and dry. The end of the feathers are covered in oil that help repel water.
Blubber and Thick Skin
Blubber is a thick layer of fat found on sea animals that insulates them and keeps them warm. It can also be a store of energy for animals that can be used if there is no food available. Having blubber and thick skin is essential for animals in the poles, for example, walruses have 10cm thick skin and up to 15cm of blubber. Bowhead whales, residents of the Arctic, have the thickest blubber of any whale, up to 48 cm!
Huddling
Staying warm is not just about your body, huddling behaviour is also important. Emperor penguins will all huddle together in large groups, sharing body hear and shielding against the wind. Think of it like a giant group hug. Walrus also share body heat, they haul out onto beaches and lie tightly packed together, sometimes they produce so much heat a cloud of fog can be seen above them!
We hope you enjoyed reading about life in the poles. Do you have a mini marine biologist ready to start their ocean exploring journey?
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