Humpback Whale
The humpback is known for it complex songs and water acrobatics, and is the best studied of the baleen whales. They are frequently spotted in shallow waters near coastlines as they migrate from polar feeding ground in summer to tropical breeding locations in winter. They are very social, whales travelling in pods of up to 200 individuals. Humpbacks may be recognised by their enormous flippers with distinct white markings. They are also known for their various acrobatic displays. There is a population of around 20,000 humpbacks whales worldwide. They are 40- 50 feet long weighing up to 48 tons. Their diet is made up of both krill and fish. Another fascinating and mysterious humpback behaviour is singing which they sing deep underwater. It is made of moans, whistles and rumblings which may be repeated dozens of times over several hours. Songs are changed every few years as the humpback continues its journeys. Overall the humpback is a fascinating animal and is now protected.
Blue Whale
The Blue Whale is a fascinating whale. There is approximately 11, 000 Blue Whales over the world ranging from about 85 ft to 100 ft long. They range from 85 to 150 tons and eat a diet of up to 4.5 tons of krill and other crustaceans by filtering them from the water. The blue whale is the biggest whale and biggest animal currently on earth. Not only this bus it is also the loudest, even louder than a jet plane. Blue whales migrate like most whales from the tropics in winter to the poles in summer. They even have two blowholes and can shoot a stream of water up to 50 feet high.
Killer Whale
The killer whale is up to 30 feet long and can weigh up to 7 tons. There is several hundred thousand killer whales in oceans around the world yet the majority is in Antarctica where there is an estimated population of 160,000. Like most toothed whales they use echolocation to navigate and find their prey of fish, birds and even other marine mammals by emitting high-pitched clicks and listening to the echo. They do not migrate but they may travel hundreds of miles for prey. They also can swim up to 30 miles per hour in short bursts. They often live in pods and have a lifespan of fifty years.
Emperor Penguin
There are approximately 200,000 pairs living around the Ross and Weddel sea regions. They are the largest of penguins and can grow up to 40 inches tall and weigh 8 pounds. They lay a single egg in the coldest time of the year without a nest. They eat a diet of fish, squids and crustaceans. They have by far the deepest and longest dives than any other bird in the world reaching depths of 700 feet and remaining submerged for up to 18 min.
Wandering Albatross
Wandering Albatrosses are the largest of the many Albatrosses and birds in the world with wingspans of 11 feet and weighing 18 pounds. There are approximately 42,000 wandering albatrosses in the wild. They feed on squid and fish and make nests in mounds of mud and grass. After leaving their nests theydo not return to land for 7-8 years. Albatrosses spend the better part of their lives gliding and circling the wind systems of the southern oceans. There is thought to be a population of around 1.5 million, of the 13 species of these massive birds. They breed only a single chick in their lifespan which may be well over 50 years. They have been recorded to cover 550 miles each day and in a single foraging can cover up to 9300 miles, a greater distance than the diameter of the earth. They are fascinating birds with their main threat being snared in nets and caught on hooks.
Leopard Seals
The leopard seal is an astonishing creature. They are known to eat penguins, fish, squid, krill and even other seals. Their only known natural predator is killer whales. There are around 250,000 individuals in the Antarctic waters weighing up to 750 lbs and growing up to 10 ft long. They live on the pack ice in summer yet stay on island coast in winter. It is the largest of Antarctic seals and has excellent sense of sight and smell underwater.