Animals of the Arctic and Antarctic

Due to rising global temperatures, the enormous ice sheets covering Greenland (Arctic region) and Antarctica have been melting faster over the years, contributing to the rising sea levels.

Sadly, the populations of many of the species in the Arctic and Antarctic are decreasing and may not be around in a few decades unless their habitats are protected.

Where are the Arctic and Antarctic regions?

The Arctic region lies in the northern-most part of the planet, while the Antarctic lies in the southern-most part. Both regions don’t get direct sunlight and are therefore extremely cold; the Antarctic is the colder region of the two.

Animals of the Arctic

The most famous inhabitant of the Arctic is arguably the polar bear. The frigid region is also home to the Arctic fox, snowy owl, reindeer, lemming, walrus, seal, sea lion, beluga whale, killer whale, Greenland shark and the narwhal (often called the ‘unicorn of the sea’).

There is a common misconception that polar bears and penguins co-exist, but this couldn’t be further from the truth, since polar bears live in the Arctic region while penguins are almost exclusively found south of the equator.

The animals of both regions have brilliantly adapted to their harsh environments. For example, the Arctic fox has a more compact build compared to the red fox, to help keep it warm.

The underside of a penguin is light, while the top is dark so that it can blend in with its surroundings while swimming.

A predator looking from below will not be able to tell it apart from the bright sky, while when looking from above, the penguin will be no different to the dark waters.

Threats to survival

Temperatures in the polar regions have been rising due to climate change, with the Arctic rising more rapidly than anywhere else in the world. This has caused summers to last longer and the sea ice to form later and melt earlier.

Sea ice plays an essential role in the lives of many animals. In the Arctic, polar bears use it to hunt for seals, the main source of the nutrition they require. The melting of sea ice has forced polar bears further south in search of food, sometimes even wandering into human settlements.

In the Arctic, the melting of sea ice has also carved new shipping routes and opened up the region for commercial and industrial activities, which has caused more waste. Noise pollution also interferes with the underwater communication of marine mammals.

On August 14, 2022, it was announced that a young walrus (named Freya by locals) frequenting the Oslo fjord in south-east Norway had been killed by authorities because of the risk she posed to people, after people disregarded warnings to keep a distance and continued to approach her to take photographs (sometimes even taking children along). It is thought that the effects of climate change in the Arctic is what brought her south.

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Animals of the Antarctic

Penguins are the best-known residents of the Antarctic. Other residents include the blue whale, killer whale, humpback whale, seals, sea lions and seabirds.