Animal Life In Antarctica

Draft Information Report

Killer Whale
(Orca)
The killer whale is a toothed whale unlike the baleen whale. The orca use’s it’s sharp teeth to help catch and eat prey. Killer whales eat fish,krill,penguin,seals,dolphins other whales and the largest animal that has lived on Earth the blue whale! When an orca has attacked it has little chance of escape.

When a killer whale is born it stays with the group of killer whales it was born with for the rest of it’s life. A group of orcas is called a pod. Pods were thought to migrate during winter but have been seen during winter.Baby orcas have also been seen during winter which means orcas might even bread during winter. Orcas have a population of 70 000.

When baby’s are born it’s parents take different jobs. The male takes the more dangerous jobs of attacking the more harsh prey. The female would teach the young ones how to attack their prey.


Adelie Penguin
(Pygoscelis Adeliae)

Adelie penguins breed all around Antarctica’s coast where there is exposed rock. They make there nests out of small rocks. Adelie penguins lay two eggs and raise two chicks. They start to breed at about 3-5 of age. Adelie penguins die at the age of 20. Adults that are breeding can travel between 5 and 120 km to catch food for their chicks. They breed during October and March.

Adelie penguins mainly eat krill but also eat fish, squid and crustaceans. They travel all around the icy region but always stay at Antarctica. The adelie penguin can dive 175metres deep to catch their food.

Leopard Seal
(Hydrurga leptonyx)
Leopard seals favorite food is penguins but also eat smaller seals, fish, squid and crustaceans. Some leopard seals hide around groups of penguins so they can eat them. The only animal that eats the leopard seal is the killer whale.

The leopard seal is the second largest seal in Antarctica after the elephant seal. Males are usually smaller than the females. Males usually weigh 320kg and can be 2.8metres long. The females can weigh 370kg and be 3metres long. A big female can weigh 500kg and be 3.5metres long. A pup can weigh 30kg.

Daniel R