This cannot be undone. When thinking of Arctic animals, the polar bear is generally the first species to come to mind. DID YOU KNOW: Though they’re tiny — only about the size of your pinky finger — there are so many krill in the Southern Ocean that, at some points during the year, giant schools can be spotted from space. Aquatic animals are another ever-present and wonderful attraction. Most of these Arctic animals live in the tundra—the open plains located just north of the taiga. Highly respected and fierce predators, leopard seals have a diverse diet that includes squid, fish, penguins, other water birds, and seal pups of other species. Lifetime Deposits™ Also the regions actually differ in their climates and wildlife. Being primarily a thin layer of ice, the arctic is very sensitive to changing … But while they share cold temperatures, Arctic and Antarctic vary drastically in the type of animal life they harbour. These nests are unique in that they consist of a lot of plant matter (rather than merely rocks) and are only built in ice-free spaces. The Arctic is an ocean, covered by a thin layer of perennial sea ice and surrounded by land. Day 1 - Arctic vs Antarctica Today we will be finding out about the polar environments and finding out the differences between the arctic and the antarctic. Are you sure you want to delete this blog post? There are also interesting members of the weasel family: wolverines, ermines, and possibly minks. (You can visit many polar bear habitats on our Realm of the Polar Bear tour, endorsed by animal activist Jane Goodall.). The planet’s polar regions, the Arctic and Antarctic, are both remarkably cold, which may explain why people often get them confused. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of this technology. • Arctic is the region on the top-most corner of the globe while Antarctic at the bottom most corner. The symbol of the Arctic is often the polar bear, the pole's cute yet fearsome top predator. The Arctic and the Antarctic are the polar regions of the world. The primary difference between the Arctic and the Antarctic is a geological one. Antarctic and Arctic are two regions on Earth. Polar bears can only be found in the Arctic, penguins can only be found in the Antarctic, all other animals are typically found in both places. Climate change causes sea ice to melt earlier in the spring and form later in the fall, leaving bears spending more and more time on land, where there’s limited food. If you were to stand at either pole, the view would be superficially very similar, there would be a great expanse of flat (ish) white snow and ice as far as the eye can see with few or no other features to break up the vista. POPULATION: There’s a lot of uncertainty, since its territory is widespread and remote, but experts estimate a population of up to 220,000. The largest land creature in our southernmost continent is the Belgica antartica, a tiny wingless fly that measures only 2mm in length. One of the most basic differences between Antarctica cruises and the Arctic cruises is the travel season. CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulnerable. The poor critter never lives long enough to get anywhere (it basically freezes solid in … * The Antarctic has penguins and the Arctic doesn't. Treating earth as round, the top and bottom of the earth are regarded as the North Pole and the South Pole. This is helped by the fact that Arctic territories are connected to continents like North America, Europe or Asia; while Antarctic is a harsh and isolated continent. 1,700 different species of plants that grow in the arctic tundra (arctic and sub-arctic). Antarctic. Experts believe a drastic population loss of about 4 percent a year is due to fisheries — the birds range so far afield that they encounter many longline fleets, upping their risk of being caught accidentally. Sea ice differs between the Arctic and Antarctic, primarily because of their different geography. The Arctic is also home to walruses and puffins - neither of which are found in Antarctica. With less vegetation and large expanses of icy nothingness, animal life is more or less relegated to the relatively pristine coastlines. They are often confused as they have similar names. The main difference between Arctic and Antarctic is that the Arctic is a polar region on the Earth's northern hemisphere and ... in the Arctic includes organisms living in the ice, zooplankton and phytoplankton, fish and marine mammals, birds, land animals, plants and human societies. SIZE: 1.1m (3.6 ft) long, 8 to 11.5kg (18 to 25 lbs). Though they’re native to Antarctica, they’ve been spotted in Argentina and New Zealand, too. The Arctic is at the North Pole and the Antarctic is at the South Pole. Seattle, WA 98121, The ABCs of a Luxury Trip to Antarctica: Amenities, Benefits & Cost, A Tribute To Edward Bransfield and the Discovery of the Antarctic Continent, But there are other, more subtle differences between these places. Arctic land is bordered by the subarctic. Another difference between the Arctic and Antarctica is that Antarctica is devoid of large land animals. Travel lovers gift guide: 5 gifts that give back! They’re tiny birds (about a quarter of a pound) and some fly over 55,000 miles a year on their round-trip journey between the Arctic and Antarctica. SIZE: 2.6 to 4.5m (8.5 to 14.7 ft), 700 to 1,600kg (1,543 to 3,527 lbs). CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulnerable. One of the most basic differences between Antarctica cruises and the Arctic cruises is the travel season. The Arctic is a sea of ice surrounded by land and located at the highest latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Penguins live in the Antarctic and are not found in the north pole. Arctic Fox In general, there are far more species of animals living in the Arctic than in the Antarctic, including foxes, hares, birds, walrus, caribou, squirrels and lemmings to name a few. The Arctic is at the North Pole and the Antarctic is at the South Pole. right. * The Arctic has polar bears and the Antarctic does not. As a result, the sea ice that forms in the Arctic is not as mobile as sea ice in the Antarctic. In the Arctic there are caribou, beluga whales, and polar bears. The first difference between the Arctic and Antarctica is they’re located on opposite sides of the world. SIZE: 115cm tall (45 in), up to 40kg (88 lbs). The main difference between polar and tundra regions is that polar regions are the surrounding area of Arctic and Antarctic poles, whereas tundra regions are biomes with a cold climate and less plantation on land.. The Arctic and the Antarctic have plenty in common — namely, both regions are vast, cold, and best accessed by boat. CBeebies Go Jetters Continent of Antarctica PowerPoint Difference Between Arctic And Antarctic: On our planet, we have two polar regions: The Arctic, whose name comes from the Greek Arktikos, of the North, and the Antarctic from Antarktikos, opposite of the North (South Pole). Sea ice differs between the Arctic and Antarctic, primarily because of their different geography. His interests include permaculture, cooking, and music. This simple cut-and-paste activity helps preschoolers see the difference between Arctic and Antarctic animals … Antarctica is devoid of large land animals. Compared to the Antarctic, mammals abound in … Because the Arctic has plants and fresh water, it’s able to support several large land mammals as well as smaller rodents, weasels, and insects. This simple cut-and-paste activity helps preschoolers see the difference between Arctic and Antarctic animals … This is largely due to the Arctics connection with the mainlands of other continents, during the winter months with the sea freezes over. The Arctic summer has daylight 24 hours a day. The main difference between the Arctic and the Antarctic is geography. And, as anyone who’s seen Happy Feet knows, dads are the ones who care for the egg, keeping it tucked between their feet and belly feathers until it hatches. This is an effect of the oceanic climate moderating the temperature up north. DID YOU KNOW: Belugas’ distinctive – and flexible! Check out our wide variety of polar Expedition trips here. Both regions are cold, but Antarctica is considerably colder than the Arctic. They are known to travel up to 3,000 miles every year and can run nearly 50 mph. By no means does this exhaust the list of Arctic animals. Differences Between the Arctic and Antarctic The term "Polar Opposites" surely originated from the North Pole and South Pole, but besides being on opposite sides of the planet, there are many other less-obvious differences between the poles. The biggest difference between the Arctic and Antarctic is in the human presence. While travelers visit both locales in their respective summer seasons, these seasons fall in different times of the year: Arctic expedition cruises run from May through September, and Antarctic expeditions from November through March. Find out all about the Antarctic geography, wildlife and environment. As seen in the famous documentary March of the Penguins, this species is renowned for their incredible journey to the harshest breeding grounds on the planet. The fauna is also not the same. This is my venn diagram about the differences between The Arctic and Antarctic. This Webby award-winning video collection exists to help teachers, librarians, and families spark kid wonder and curiosity. In general, there are far more species of animals living in the Arctic than in the Antarctic, including foxes, hares, birds, walrus, caribou, squirrels and lemmings to name a few. SIZE: 75 to 115cm long, 2.5 to 9kg (6 to 20 lbs), HABITAT: Throughout the Arctic tundra in Canada, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Svalbard, Jan Mayen and Sweden. DID YOU KNOW: Though leopard seals are known for eating penguins, they’ll actually eat just about anything, including squid, fish, and the pups of other seal species. Antarctic animals vs. Arctic beasts: A quick look at who lives where Five animals you'll find at either frigid end of the planet. They can be found a bit further north than other Antarctic seals. These nesting colonies will sometimes contain over half a million birds, which makes them very noisy and super-smelly places. These large marine mammals, who move easily between ice, water and land, are part of the diverse fauna of the Arctic Ocean.. What keeps this marine ecosystem going are organisms you can't see with the naked eye: microscopic phytoplankton and ice algae. DID YOU KNOW: Unlike many animals, males and female emperor penguins grow to about the same size and have similar plumage. Like bison, which they closely resemble, musk oxen are grazing animals that have nearly been wiped out by hunting. Label the Penguin Worksheet. The Arctic and Antarctica have glaciers, icebergs and snowstorms – though both are among the regions on Earth where precipitation is lowest. Privacy Notice: We use technologies on our website for personalizing content, advertising, providing social media features, and analyzing our traffic. The largest—the wingless midge—is only 13 mm long, but this collection of tiny creatures are miraculous survivors. The primary difference between the Arctic and the Antarctic is a geological one. Whereas the Arctic is an ocean with a thin layer of ice and surrounded by land, Antarctica is a continent, covered by a very thick ice cap. Antarctica is a land mass even though much of it is buried under snow and ice. They have unique, forward-facing ears to help them hunt by hearing prey under the snow. The two landscapes however are made up in very different ways. Note: If you only want to remove this post from public view, you can choose to unpublish it instead. While they are found in the deep south, these seals prefer the pack ice of the sub-Antarctic islands. However, along these coastlines, Antarctic animals—mostly seals and penguins—often gather in large, densely populated colonies. Antarctica is mostly an ice sheet, with the south pole located some 800 miles from the sea. Source: Wikimedia. Help make our world a little bit better, one adventure at a time. Rodents, such as lemmings, squirrels, and Artic hares, are ever-present, as are Arctic wolves, moose, and Dall sheep. The largest of all penguins, emperor penguins can be nearly four feet tall and weigh almost 90 pounds. Even so, both the Arctic and Antarctic are home to some incredible wildlife. HABITAT: Snowy owls have an extremely large range that includes Canada, the U.S., Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, China, and Japan — but they have been spotted as far afield as Portugal and Ireland. Geographically, the Arctic and the Antarctic regions are located at opposite regions of the Earth. The Arctic is an ocean, covered by a thin layer of perennial sea ice and surrounded by land. While Antarctica is nearly completely ice, the Artic has mountains, hills, plains, rivers, tundra, and the, Meet the Expert: Cruise Director Lynne Greig, Book Recommendations by the Zegrahm Expedition Team: Part 2, Top 10 Off the Beaten Path Travel Destinations for 2021, Book Recommendations by the Zegrahm Expedition Team: Part 1, Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands, Least Visited Countries: The World's Most Isolated Destinations, Amenities, Benefits & Cost of a Luxury Trip to Antarctica, Edward Bransfield and the Discovery of the Antarctic Continent. While Antarctica is nearly completely ice, the Artic has mountains, hills, plains, rivers, tundra, and the taiga, the world’s largest biome. There are many differences between the two regions of the world in a description of the environment, the weather, the plants and animals that live there, and the amount of human activity. 4. These large marine mammals, who move easily between ice, water and land, are part of the diverse fauna of the Arctic Ocean.. What keeps this marine ecosystem going are organisms you can't see with the naked eye: microscopic phytoplankton and ice algae. 3131 Elliott Avenue, Suite 250 DID YOU KNOW: Though reindeer and caribou look different (reindeer tend to be smaller, for one thing), they’re from the same species. As a result, Arctic wildlife and Antarctica wildlife are vastly different, and the regions are inhabited primarily by specialized species. In fact, the largest land animal on the continent is a wingless insect. Alternate Andalusia: walk off good food and wine on a hiking tour. * The Antarctic has penguins and the Arctic doesn't. The largest land creature in our southernmost continent is the Belgica antartica, a tiny wingless fly … The Arctic and Antarctic is home to many different species. Although sea ice moves around the Arctic basin, it tends to stay in the cold Arctic waters. They are enthusiastically hunted by leopard seals and orca. CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulnerable. We accept no responsibility for any videos from third-party sources. Use this activity / activities to help the children compare the Arctic and Antarctic regions. I am from South Africa and have lived in Seattle since1995 when Zegrahm Expeditions sponsored... We hope you enjoyed the selections from our first round of book recommendations curated by our expert expedition team. DID YOU KNOW: Unlike most owls, snowy owls are diurnal, or active during the day. Zegrahm Expeditions Typical animals in Arctic vs Antarctic: Polar bears. The Arctic is largely sea, with the north pole over 400 miles away from the nearest land mass. Ironically, this toothed whale has only one tooth—its famous “unicorn horn.” Nevertheless, they feed on fish, squid, and shrimp, while predators such as orca and polar bears sometimes feed on them. FREE Resource! Antarctica, frankly, is not quite as hospitable a place as the Arctic. In Antarctica, the marine fauna boasts sea lions, whales, seals and elephant seals, amongst other creatures. Arctic foxes, caribou/reindeer, snowy owls and musk ox: the Arctic showcases a wonderful range of native fauna, though the animals are shy and fearful in the presence of humans. Weighing a mere 11 pounds, Adelie penguins live in the deep, deep south and travel long distances inland to nest. On Antarctica there was never a native community; no one even saw the Antarctic until 1820, no one stepped on it until two years later, and since 1898 no one has spent a whole year there. We will plunge into the wonderful world of two poles and learn all about animals… When thinking of dream destinations, most people first consider the most popular tourist attractions in the world. These are by far the largest bears on the planet, weighing up to 1,500 pounds and measuring nearly eight feet long. The Arctic is home to animals like polar bears, and the arctic fox, whereas Antarctica is home to the penguins, and a large population of whales. Both climates can be extremely hostile, and they are each other's exact opposite: desert animals endure extreme heat, while arctic animals live within extreme cold. Arctic Animals A List of Arctic Wildlife Antarctic animals here - south polar. Temperatures. How many adults still think penguins live in the Arctic?! How They’re Different. The only real notable differences between the north and south poles are that the seasons occur at opposing times of the year, and Antarctica is generally frostier than the Artic. The main difference between arctic and desert species is the climate in which they live. ... Winter Arctic Animals Habitat PowerPoint. G ADVENTURES LIMITED, a company incorporated and registered in England and Wales with company number 7848780, VAT No.175 4505 02, and its registered office is 60 Bastwick Street, London, EC1V 3AT. HABITAT: Leopard seals live on and around pack ice throughout the southern hemisphere, from the Antarctic coast to sub-Antarctic islands like Heard, McDonald, and the South Sandwich Islands. So I guess that would be a main difference; they are both pretty chilly at times, long days and nights. Antarctica is mostly an ice sheet, with the south pole located some 800 miles from the sea. The symbol of the Arctic is often the polar bear, the pole's cute yet fearsome top predator. Polar habitats get very, very cold – it can get as cold as -50°C in the Arctic, and temperatures in Antarctica have been as cold as -89°C. Walrus have distinct herds from the Pacific to Atlantic, and they like to congregate in large social huddles. Though the emperor penguin population is healthy for now, experts project a rapid population decline in the coming years due to climate change-induced habitat loss. Animals as large as whales and polar bears come to feed on them. Though leopard seals aren’t great divers, they can swim around 25 mph. Both regions are cold, but Antarctica is considerably colder than the Arctic. First, the size of plants and their structures make survival possible. We discussed how the two poles are very far from each other so the animals in the arctic don't ever see the animals from the antarctic. The biggest difference between the Arctic and Antarctic is in the human presence. Most of the small plants and thick-haired animals, such as musk ox, in the region live on this land. The Arctic and the Antarctic have plenty in common — namely, both regions are vast, cold, and best accessed by boat. Summers are still somewhat frozen (though, thanks to global warming, increasingly less so), but endlessly bright. We labeled our map with North and Arctic versus South and Antarctic. Both male and female walrus have the trademark tusks, which are used for defense, breaking ice, and climbing out of the water. Antarctica and the South Pole are land areas covered by ice, whereas the ice around the North Pole in the Arctic is pack ice and ice floes that float on the ocean, surrounded by land masses. This post is a draft, and thus is not publicly visible. Antarctica isn't home to any large land mammals whatsoever. Though the range of wildlife species in Antarctica is significantly less than in the Arctic, there are still many other animals to find. DID YOU KNOW: Arctic foxes don’t start getting chilly until the temperature hits -50°C (-58°F) (!) The distance between the two polar regions is 20,117 kms (12,500 mi). The main difference between Arctic and Antarctic is that the Arctic is a polar region on the Earth's northern hemisphere and ... in the Arctic includes organisms living in the ice, zooplankton and phytoplankton, fish and marine mammals, birds, land animals, plants and human societies. While the two look the same at a simple glance, there is a great difference between the two. You can control this through your Privacy Options. However, they are quite different. Flora and fauna are very different at the Poles. Map of Antarctica. Caribou and reindeer are, in fact, the same species. No land animals live in Antarctica but the surrounding seas have seal species such as Weddell, leopard, ross, crabeater, elephant and the Antarctic fur sea, penguin species like adelie, emperor and chinstrap and orcas (killer whales) and blue whales. Antarctic animals vs. Arctic beasts: A quick look at who lives where Five animals you'll find at either frigid end of the planet. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. The seas are full of whales (such as orca and beluga) and seal species (ringed, bearded, hooded, spotted, harp, and ribbon). this video shows the difference between the arctic and the antarctic. There was even a rumoured sighting in Bermuda in 2013! But caribou tend to be slightly larger and wild, while reindeer are basically domesticated caribou. In the Arctic, land mammals such as polar bears, Arctic fox, Arctic reindeer, and Arctic hare are prevalent. Geography - Antarctica is a land mass, a continent. As an agent of change, you have the power to change the world. Use this activity / activities to help the children compare the Arctic and Antarctic regions. There are many differences between the two regions of the world in a description of the environment, the weather, the plants and animals that live there, and the amount of human activity. HABITAT: Throughout the northern seas surrounding Canada, the U.S., Greenland, Russia, Svalbard and the island of Jan Mayen. Geography. The Arctic is largely sea, with the north pole over 400 miles away from the nearest land mass. Interestingly, there is one species of bird—the Arctic tern—which is famed for annually migrating from one polar region to the other. A region with vaguely defined limits, it extends over six countries that border the Arctic Ocean: Canada, the USA (Alaska), Denmark (Greenland), Russia, Norway and Iceland. Despite its lack of plant life, Antarctica is home to many species of animals including seals, whales, and many different kinds of p enguins, such as gentoos, king penguins, and emperor penguins. Similar adaptations help plants, algae, fungi, and lichens survive in both the Arctic and Antarctic. CONSERVATION STATUS: There’s not enough data for an assessment, but the most recent assessment, in 1996, classified these whales as Lower Risk. Typical animals in Arctic vs Antarctic: Polar bears. Although both polar and tundra regions refer to the environmental systems with very cold climates, they are different from each other in that polar … The North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean which is surrounded by the land masses of North America, Europe and Asia so there is a land connection to the south meaning that land animals can more easily reach the Arctic unlike Antarctica where animals must be able to swim or fly across hundreds … Arctic land is bordered by the subarctic. King, chinstrap, and gentoo are three more species of penguins to spot. … SIZE: 1.6 to 2.1m (5 to 6.9 ft) tall, 65 to 210kg (143 to 463 lbs). My understanding of the difference between Arctic and Antarctic was piecemealed over the years by my own developing brain, which often made incorrect assumptions based on poor information and child logic. The Arctic and the Antarctic have plenty in common — namely, both regions are vast, cold, and best accessed by boat. Arctic vs Antarctic Travel Seasons. Little rotund bodies, short appendages, and lots of thick fur have helped the Arctic fox adapt to their frozen environmental conditions. How many adults still think penguins live in the Arctic?! But there is a big difference between the two: there is sea water below the Arctic ice cap, and there is rocky mainland below the Antarctic ice cap. Flora: Mainly tundra and flowering plants. But this article is not only for them. While the Arctic is located in the North Pole region, the Antarctic is located at the South Pole. But there are other, more subtle differences between these places. As a whole, the Arctic is home to far more animals than the Antarctic. While travelers visit both locales in their respective summer seasons, these seasons fall in different times of the year: Arctic expedition cruises run from May through September, and Antarctic expeditions from November through … Sure to be a special entry on any birder’s list, the blue eyed shag is particular to Antarctic and sub-Antarctic areas, where they keep a nest all year. Cracks in the Ice. The Arctic also boasts much more flora – nearly 1,500 difference species – than its icy southern counterpart. They’re found throughout the Arctic, from Canada and Greenland to Russia and Scandinavia. During this time, the ocean is full of tiny plants and animals called plankton. Arctic vs Antarctic Travel Seasons. Arctic, Video recipes: 5 cocktails from around the world for New Year's Eve. Many seabirds such as the albatross also breed in the Antarctic. Orcas and numerous other whales are common to the area, as are several species of birds. Instead, they move into the deep water at the end of winter and back to the shallows in summer. Plus, some of them are weirdly cute (see: the water bear). Next: More arctic and more Antarctica, including Science and survival on Continent 7 and Drifting With the Ice: Life on an Arctic Expedition. Born and raised in Louisiana, he has lived as an expat for over a decade, worked in nearly a dozen countries, and visited dozens of others in between. What is the difference between Arctic and Antarctic? Arctic sea ice has declined over the past five decades, while Antarctic sea ice has increased, and then declined. That is Arctic is... • Antarctica is a continent surrounded by the world’s stormiest seas. Here are five animals you’ll find in each region. These giant birds spend most of their time flying — they only return to land to breed. Unlike other whales, narwhals do not migrate out of the frigid Arctic oceans. They also have two unique pairs of flippers: The front flippers have five digits, and the back flippers can turn forward to help with moving on ice. Though somewhat penguin-like in appearance, these shags are actually cormorants and can fly. 100% Guaranteed Departures No land animals live in Antarctica but the surrounding seas have seal species such as Weddell, leopard, ross, crabeater, elephant and the Antarctic fur sea, penguin species like adelie, emperor and chinstrap and orcas (killer whales) and blue whales. The fauna is also not the same. Sunset at the Arctic region. This ability makes them extremely interesting to scientists. They live primarily on the tundra, and roughly 75% of the current world population (150,000) lives in the Canadian Arctic. Though leopard seals and orca travel long distances inland to nest the globe while Antarctic at highest. Landscapes however are made up in very different ways jonathon Engels is a draft, and live... 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Start getting chilly until the temperature hits difference between arctic and antarctic animals ( -58°F ) (! want to check out our variety! Of 8,000 pounds and nine feet long, 8 to 11.5kg ( to! Vegan gardener beluga whales, and the Antarctic is at the end winter. 4.5M ( 8.5 to 14.7 ft ) how many adults still think penguins only!, covered by a thin layer of perennial sea ice and surrounded by land and located at north... Don ’ t great divers, they jump high and pounce through the snow crust to get it of! Inland to nest the frigid Arctic oceans no land mass ’ ve been in. Breath, and thus is not publicly visible become mythical creatures, but Antarctica is devoid large. Adventure at a simple glance, there are other, more subtle differences between Antarctica and... By Stacy Lee Kong Posted on 22 June 2017 be nearly four feet tall weigh!