Antarctica is bigger than Europe, and is actually a desert with no clouds or rain, with the only humans being tourists and research scientists. Home to other creatures including blue whales, orcas, elephant seals and Arctic terns (who fly the longest migration on earth) – this is of course the place where we are seeing the results of climate change, with melting ice and rising temperatures affecting krill, the main food source of penguins and migrating whales (who visit during summer months, to feed).
the Arctic tern’s long migration
Arctic terns (who travel a whopping 22,000 miles a year for the world’s longest migration) fly together, even ‘sleeping on the wing’ for some of the time. Just before they take flight, they go silent, though if you go near them, they will peck at your head in defense of their nests. Due to flying from the Arctic to Antarctic, they see more daylight than any other creature on earth, due to the sun never setting in many parts of the world. But climate change has decimated populations of sand eels (on which they feed). RSPB reports that recently, 700 pairs in the Shetland Isles failed to breed even one chick.
Matt’s marvellous book on penguins!
Matt Sewell is a Shropshire-based artist and ornithologist whose books on birds and other creatures sell like hot cakes. Although he normally focuses on our garden and woodland birds, his book Penguins (and other sea birds focuses on our funny-walking friends in Antarctica! These lovely birds live a pretty harsh life, huddling together to keep warm, and then walk miles to find food in the coldest and windiest place on earth.
In this enchanting guidebook, learn about 50 species of penguins including the Little Penguin (just 13 inches tall) and the Fiordland Crested Penguin (who has bushy yellow eyebrows!) You’ll also learn about other seabirds across the world including albatrosses (also living in Antarctica) and our very own puffins (which mostly live in northern England, including on the Farne Islands in Northumberland).
