101 Facts... Polar Animals! Polar Animal Books for Kids (101 Animal Facts Book 9)

101 Facts… 101 Polar Animals! by IP Factly 2

101 Facts… 101 Polar Animals! Copyright © 2014 IP Factly All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author. 3

Thank you for buying our book To show our appreciation we are offering you a completely free book! Just click on the book title below to sign up and get it for FREE! Free Book: 101 Facts... Sharks! 4

5

Contents 101 Facts… 101 Polar Animals! Thank you for buying our book Contents Introduction What Are the Earth’s Poles? Life in the Polar Regions Keeping Warm Finding Food Other Adaptations Antarctic Animals - Birds Antarctic Animals - Fish & Other Sea Creatures Antarctic Animals - Insects Antarctic Animals - Mammals Arctic Animals - Birds Arctic Animals - Fish & Other Sea Animals Arctic Animals - Insects Arctic Animals -Mammals Video Page 6

I hope you enjoyed the book Do You Want Another? More Great Animal Books… Photo Credits 7

Introduction Most animals cannot survive in the world’s polar regions. Those that live there, however, have found ways to evolve and adapt to the harsh climate. Some have adapted so well, in fact, that they cannot live anywhere else in the world. These polar animals are experts in survival, finding fascinating ways to overcome the challenges of nature time after time. 8

Open Polar Sea Ice by Moving Mountains Trust 9

What Are the Earth’s Poles? Every day, the Earth rotates around its axis, which is like an invisible pole. This rotation is what causes day and night. The places on the surface of the Earth where the ends of this invisible pole are found are called the Earth’s poles – the North Pole and the South Pole. Location of Polar Regions by David Kernow 10

The North Pole is the northernmost part of the Earth. It is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, where the waters are almost permanently covered in blocks of sea ice. The area around the North Pole is called the Arctic Circle. The South Pole is the southernmost part of the Earth. It is located on the continent of Antarctica, of which about ninety-eight percent is covered in ice at least a mile (1.6 kilometers) thick. The area around the South Pole is called the Antarctic Circle. Antarctica is considered the world’s largest cold desert, receiving only 8 inches (20.3 centimeters) of rainfall at most each year. It is also the windiest, coldest and driest continent. 11

Life in the Polar Regions The North and South Poles are the parts of the Earth that receive the least amount of heat from the Sun. Because of this, they are the coldest places on Earth. At the North Pole, temperatures range from 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 Celsius) to as much as 45 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) below zero while at the South Pole, it is even colder, the temperature dipping to as low as negative 128 degrees Fahrenheit (-89 Celsius)! These extremely cold temperatures are responsible for the formation of huge amounts of ice. At both the North and South Poles, the sun is never high up in the sky, but hovers just above the horizon. At the North Pole, there are four seasons – winter, spring, summer and fall, with winter and summer being the longer seasons. In winter – from November to February – there are days when the Sun does not rise at all. In summer the Sun does not set and it is constantly daytime. During summer, some of the sea ice in the North Pole melts while some stays frozen all year long. Due to global warming, studies show that more and more of the sea ice melts every summer, making scientists believe that Arctic 12

summers may eventually be completely free of ice. Broken Glaciers of North Pole by Pranav At the South Pole, there are only two seasons – winter and summer, each lasting six months. In winter – from 13

March to September – there is no sunlight and sometimes it is completely dark except for the faint moonlight. In summer, the Sun is constantly above the horizon. Snow falls on both the North and South Poles but falls more heavily and more frequently at the South Pole. Sometimes, in Antarctica, there is so much snow that the ice sheets sink below sea level. In the Arctic, there are only certain places that are covered with snow all year round. Blizzards occur every year in the Arctic and the Antarctic. These are massive snowstorms with strong winds and large amounts of snow. Ice storms, which have little wind but have freezing rain, also occur. Some plants do grow in the Arctic tundra but in the Antarctic, only mosses and two species of flowering plants can be found, which only grow for a short time each year. There are about two million people living in the Arctic Circle, many of whom belong to ethnic groups who have their culture tied to life in the Arctic. In the Antarctic, as few as 4000 people can be found, living in research stations, and more than half of them leave during winter. 14

Because of these harsh conditions at the North and South Poles, in order to survive, polar animals have to do at least two things – keep themselves warm and find food. 15

Keeping Warm Polar animals have evolved to withstand freezing temperatures. They have compact bodies, short legs, short ears and short tails. This way, they have an easier time keeping themselves warm. 16

Polar bear resting but alert by Susanne Miller, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Many polar animals are also large, or larger than their relatives who live in warmer areas. This is because bigger is warmer – the larger the animal, the smaller its relative 17

surface area, and the less heat it loses. Most polar animals have thick fur or feathers, sometimes with as many as three layers, in order to keep themselves warm. Some shed their thick coats in the summer and then grow them again in winter. 18

19

Polar bear and cubs by Karilop311 For animals that do not have fur, they have an extra layer under their skin composed entirely of fat, called blubber. This layer of fat not only provides them with heat and but also energy. Sometimes, however, having a thick coat is not enough, which is why polar animals tend to live in dens or burrows. Although these dwellings are made in the snow, it is still warmer inside them than out in the open air. Also, these dwellings provide protection from strong winds. Large groups of animals who cannot fit in dens huddle together, sharing their body warmth. Often, in formations like these, the young animals are in the middle where it is warmest, and also where they are most protected. 20

Polar Bear by Michael Bentley Some polar animals have the special ability to control their blood flow so that only warm blood flows to their most important organs, such as their brain, heart and lungs. 21

When it is very cold, some polar animals hibernate, which is a way for them to preserve both body heat and energy. Others who cannot hibernate migrate to warmer areas. 22

Finding Food Food is scarce in the polar regions, so polar animals have to be good at finding food and making it last. Carnivorous animals at the North and South Poles are excellent hunters, able to smell animals in their burrows, while herbivores can smell plants growing under the snow. Since the oceans are vast at the North and South Poles, most polar animals are good swimmers who can eat fish, either as their main food source or to supplement their diet. When food is abundant, many polar animals stash their food so that they have something to eat when food is scarce again. Some eat and eat, fattening themselves up, then use their body fat to sustain them during the coming days, weeks or months. 23

24

Polar bear eating his fish by Tambako the Jaguar Polar animals do their best to make their food last as long as it can inside their bodies. To do this, they limit their activity. The less active they are, the less energy they use. 25

Other Adaptations Polar animals are mostly white. This camouflages them against the snow. Some are only white in winter and turn darker in the summer, allowing them to absorb the available sunlight and to be camouflaged against the soil. 26

Polar bear cubs in the snow by Fæ Polar animals have feet that are well-adapted to walking on the snow. Their feet are covered in fur so they don’t feel cold and their toes or hooves are specially designed so that they do not sink into the snow or slip across the ice. 27

Many polar animals have excellent vision. They can see well above and under water. They can also see even when there is only a small amount of light. Most polar animals do not have to drink water. They can get the water they need from the food they eat. Birds have salt glands which prevent them from ingesting too much salt from the seawater they drink. Many polar animals have a high reproductive rate, giving birth to lots of young each year. This ensures the survival of the species since many of the young do not make it past their first year due to the harsh climate. 28

Antarctic Animals - Birds The Antarctic petrel breeds on the Antarctic islands. Its diet consists of krill, fish and small squid, which it eats while it is swimming or scoops out of the water while flying. The word “petrel” comes from the name of St. Peter, since petrels have been observed to seemingly run on water before taking off into the air. 29

Black Petrel by sussexbirder The Antarctic prion is the largest of the prions, birds which are related to petrels but are smaller, measuring about 11 inches (28 centimeters) long. The word “prion” is Greek for “saw”, which refers to the bird’s sawlike bill. 30

31

32

Wandering Albatross, Prion Island by brian.gratwicke The black-browed albatross is the most widely distributed albatross, breeding on twelve islands in the Southern Ocean. It gets its name from the dark stripe above each of its eyes. It also has black edges on the undersides of its wings, but otherwise is completely white. The imperial shag is a black and white bird with a blue ring around each of its eyes, which is why it is also known as the blue-eyed shag. It lives in colonies consisting of hundreds of pairs, each laying up to five eggs every year in nests made of seaweed, grass, mud and excrement. 33

Kelp Gull by sussexbirder The kelp gull is also known as the Dominican gull, named after the Dominican order of friars who wear black and white. It has been observed to peck at right whales in order to eat their blubber, leaving them with large, open sores, and has also been seen dropping rocks 34

on shellfish to open them. Of the seventeen species of penguins, seven can be found in Antarctica. In fact, they are the only birds that live in Antarctica all year long. They are flightless birds but expert swimmers, who keep themselves warm with densely packed feathers that are almost impenetrable to wind and water. 35

Emperor Penguins by Christopher.Michel The emperor penguin is the largest of all the penguins, growing up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) long and weighing nearly a hundred pounds (45.4 kilograms)! It is the only penguin that breeds during the winter, with males solely incubating the eggs in their brood pouch, while the 36

females go to find food. Emperor penguins are also the only penguins that have specially designed nasal passages, enabling them to recapture about eighty percent of the heat they lose when they exhale. Emperor penguins are also the deepest divers among birds, able to dive to depth of more than 1700 feet (518 meters) to eat fish and krill. When underwater, they can hold their breath for up to 18 minutes. The gentoo penguin has the longest tail of all penguins, which sweeps from side to side as it waddles. It is known for its loud trumpeting call which it gives with its head thrown back. The macaroni penguin is distinguished by its yellow crest and red eyes. Its breeding colonies are the largest among penguins, composed of more than 50,000 pairs. The snow petrel is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in Antarctica. It is pure white and is very tolerant to the cold; flocks are often seen gathered on icebergs and bathing in the snow. 37

Snowy Sheathbill, Hercules Bay by brian.gratwicke The snowy sheathbill is the only land bird in Antarctica. It eats whatever food it can find on land, even stealing fish from penguins and eating their eggs and chicks, as well as carrion. 38

39

40

South Polar Skua by Samuel Blanc The south polar skua is a large, aggressive bird that feeds on penguin chicks, as well as on the carcasses of penguins and seals. It even steals fish from other birds, like gulls and terns. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of all birds, reaching up to 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 meters). Because of this, it can fly without flapping its wings for several hours. It mates for life and breeds every two years on islands in the Southern Ocean. 41

Giant Petrel by NOAA Photo Library Wilson’s storm petrel is one of the most abundant bird species in the world, found on every continent, even Antarctica. At just 6 to 7 inches (15 to 18 centimeters) long and weighing 1.4 ounces (40 grams), it is the smallest warm-blooded animal that breeds in the 42

Antarctic region. 43

Antarctic Animals - Fish & Other Sea Creatures Antarctic krill are small, shrimp-like creatures that live in schools and swarms of thousands in the Southern Ocean, serving as food for penguins, whales and other animals in the Antarctic. Their exact number has not been determined, but it is believed that they are the most abundant animals on Earth. Antarctic krill molt every 13 to 20 days in their six-year lifespan in order to grow. When food is scarce, their entire bodies, except for their eyes, shrink in size after each molting, so having exceptionally large eyes is a sign that a krill is starving. 44

Antarctic krill by Uwe Kils Antarctic krill are bioluminescent. This means they have organs that light up in the dark, although the exact reason for this is unknown. They are also fast swimmers, able to swim backward by flipping their rear ends – a 45

move known as lobstering – at a speed of 2 feet (61 centimeters) per second when escaping predators. The Antarctic sea urchin is found on the seabed of the Southern Ocean. It ranges in color from dull red to bright purple, and is covered in spines and tube feet that it uses to move across the ocean floor. Sea urchins by Zureks 46

The Antarctic toothfish, commonly mislabeled as the Antarctic cod, is one of the largest fish in the Southern Ocean, growing over 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. It does not have a swim bladder, the gas-filled organ that enables fish to float, but is one of few fish that are neutrally buoyant, enabling it to swim without much effort, although it usually stays at the bottom of the ocean floor. What makes the Antarctic toothfish even more amazing is that it has antifreeze glycoproteins in its blood – proteins that prevent water from forming ice crystals inside it. Because of this, the Antarctic toothfish can easily survive in freezing waters. Clione antarctica is a species of sea slug found in Antarctic waters. It can store five percent of the food it eats as lipids, which can allow it to survive for six months without eating. When chased by predators, it releases a chemical that deters fish. Scientists don’t yet understand how it works. The colossal squid is also called the Antarctic squid because it can be found around Antarctica. It is the largest squid species: the largest specimen caught was 33 feet (10 meters) long and weighed over 1000 pounds 47

(453.6 kilograms). It also has the largest eyes of any animal. Like the giant squid, the colossal squid’s arms and tentacles are covered in suckers lined with small teeth, but that’s not all. Its limbs are also covered in hooks, some with three points. 48

Icefish by Marrabbio2 About twenty-five species of crocodile icefish are currently found in the waters around Antarctica. These fishes have colorless blood because they have no red blood cells, a loss they are able to survive by having low metabolic rates and large blood vessels, as well as larger hearts than other fish. 49

50