Polar Ecology - Animals

Animals

Due to the harsh weather in the polar regions, there are not many animals. The animals that do exist in the polar region are similar between the Antarctic and Arctic regions. The animals do differ by the temperature. In the Arctic some invertebrates include spiders, mites, mosquitoes and flies. In warmer areas of the polar regions moths, butterflies and beetles can be found. Some of the larger animals that exist are foxes, wolves, rabbits, hares, reindeer and caribou. There are various bird species that have been spotted in the Arctic. Eight species of birds reside on the polar tundra year round while only 150 breed in the Arctic (Stonehouse, 96). The birds that do breed go to the Arctic between May and July. One of the known birds is the snowy owl. The owl has enough fat on it to be able to survive in the cold temperatures.

In the Antarctic some invertebrates that exist are mites, fleas and ticks. Antarctica is the only continent that does not have a land mammal population (Stonehouse, 105). There are also no birds that reside in Antarctica. Though, it has been known that various birds from South America have been spotted in Antarctica.

For animals to be able to live in the polar region they have to have adaptations which allow them to live in the cold and windy environments. These animals have originated with these adaptations, and animals that live in these regions are accumulating adaptations to be able to live in this type of environment. Some of these adaptations may be to be big and insolated, have a lot of fur, and to be darker. Also, many animals live in groups to be able to protect themselves from the cold. Animals also tend to be homeotherms which are animals that maintain a high temperature (177) Smaller invertebrates also tend to be smaller in polar regions which helps them conserve energy.

There are also many different animals that live in the sea water near polar regions. Squids are one animal that live in both Antarctica and the Arctic. They are the food source for other large animals such as the male sperm whale (Fogg, 202). There is also a wide variety of fish in the polar regions. Arctic cod is a major species in the Arctic. Halibut, cod, herring, and walleye Pollock are some other types of fish. In Antarctica there is not a lot of diversity among the fish; there is a lot of the same kind. Silverfish and Myctophidae are some examples of fish that live in Antarctica (Fogg, 204).

Seals are also found in polar regions. The population of seals is around 2.5 million (Fogg, 206). They are known to breed on land in the polar regions. Whales are also in the polar regions and can be found near the surfaces of water where they prey.

There are also birds that breed in the polar regions. In the Arctic, 95% of the birds breeding here consist of only four different species. These include the northern fulmar, kittiwake, the little auk and the thick billed murre. These birds breed here when the ice starts to thaw and when there is cracks in the ice so the birds are able to feed. In the Antarctic there are two different birds that live there including the penguin and the procellariforms.