Explore the Poles

This is Ingrid, and she’s an explorer. Are you ready to go on a polar adventure with her to visit the coldest places in the world?

Let’s go!

Our first stop is Antarctica, a continent at the south pole covered in ice. Let’s take a closer look at what lives here.

In the spring, penguins from all over lay their eggs and raise their families here. At other times, these penguins move north, but they stay in the southern hemisphere.

These Weddell seals love to swim through the icy water. Lots of seals live in the waters nearby.

We’re in luck! Springtime brings humpback whales to Antarctica. They come to feed on krill. There are plenty of these shrimp-like creatures to eat.

Next stop is the Arctic at the north pole. There’s no land at the north pole, just sheets of ice. Animals, like polar bears, need the ice to survive.

Polar bears can swim long distances, but the ice gives them a place to rest. The same is true for seals and walruses. They have their babies on the ice and find their food in the water.

But look out! There are predators like orcas—killer whales--in the icy waters nearby. Baby seals can become food for an orca if they get too close to the water.

Just like in Antarctica, there are humpback whales in the Arctic, too. These whales live in all the oceans of the world. The best food for them can be found at the poles.

What an adventure we’ve had traveling the world! What other polar animals do you know?