Life Finds a Way

Despite extreme conditions, polar regions are not biological wastelands. The Arctic supports polar bears, Arctic foxes, caribou, and musk oxen — warm-blooded animals with thick fur and fat reserves. Beneath the ice, Arctic cod and ringed seals form food chains that sustain entire ecosystems.

Antarctica has no land predators but is rich in marine life. Emperor penguins survive winters of -60 degrees C by huddling in rotating groups, where individuals take turns on the windward edge. Antarctic krill — tiny shrimp-like creatures — are the foundation of the entire Southern Ocean food web.