{"id":2190895,"date":"2026-05-06T06:00:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T05:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2190895"},"modified":"2026-05-02T09:58:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T08:58:43","slug":"they-can-survive-up-to-an-hour-in-the-icy-water-and-use-razor-sharp-protruding-teeth-to-scrape-away-ice-10-amazing-remarkable-antarctic-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/they-can-survive-up-to-an-hour-in-the-icy-water-and-use-razor-sharp-protruding-teeth-to-scrape-away-ice-10-amazing-remarkable-antarctic-animals\/","title":{"rendered":"“They can survive up to an hour in the icy water and use razor-sharp protruding teeth to scrape away ice.”10 amazing, remarkable Antarctic animals…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antarctica\u00a0is the southernmost, coldest continent and the only one with no permanent human habitation. With most of its surface covered in ice, it’s a tough wilderness to survive in. But incredibly, some of the world’s most captivating species thrive.<\/p>\n

Early in spring 2025, scientists caught the first-ever footage of the incredible\u00a0glacial glass squid\u00a0(Galiteuthis glacialis)<\/em>. It was first sighted in January 2025, and goes to show how we’re still discovering the incredible species that survive in one of the most hostile environments on earth.<\/p>\n

From other magnificent deep-sea dwellers to playful penguins and captivating birds, we take a look at the most iconic animals that have evolved to withstand the region’s freezing temperatures and months of darkness.<\/p>\n

Antarctic animals<\/h2>\n

Emperor penguin<\/h3>\n
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\"Emperor
Emperor penguins and chicks at Snow Hill Island, Antartic Peninsula. Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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The\u00a0emperor penguin\u00a0(Aptenodytes forsteri<\/em>) is Antarctica\u2019s largest and most iconic bird. Standing at around 1.2m tall, it\u2019s the only penguin species that breeds during the continent\u2019s brutal winter. The birds huddle in massive colonies to protect their young from temperatures as low as -55\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

The adults have several dense layers of waterproof feathers for insulation and their beaks and flippers are small, to reduce heat loss. Typically, emperors spend the first months of the year (January to March) feeding at sea to build up fat reserves for the winter.<\/p>\n

Antarctic fur seal<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"Antarctic
Two young Antarctic fur seals play fighting. Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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Once on the verge of extinction due to intensive hunting, the Antarctic fur seal has made an incredible comeback. Today, millions thrive in the icy waters surrounding Antarctica. They are fast movers and can reach speeds of up to 20kph on land and even quicker in the water. They are named after their thick\u00a0fur, the reason they were hunted in the 19th century. The dense fur and layer of\u00a0blubber\u00a0insulate them against the freezing temperatures.<\/p>\n

Southern elephant seal<\/h3>\n
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\"Southern
The ginormous southern elephant seal. Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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The southern\u00a0elephant seal\u00a0(Mirounga leonina<\/em>) is the largest seal species, with adult males weighing in at up to a whopping 4,000kg. They can also grow to a huge 6m in length. They are loud, too \u2013 mature males have a large\u00a0proboscis (nose), which is used to amplify its vocalisations \u2013 a series of burps and belches, clicks and snorts.<\/p>\n

The southern elephant seals breed in dense colonies on subantarctic islands, such as the island of\u00a0South Georgia, where over half of the world\u2019s population congregates. They are powerful swimmers and can hold their breath for up to two hours as they search for squid and deep-sea fish.<\/p>\n

Weddell seal<\/h3>\n
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