This week we travel to a place where (probably) most of us have never ventured. Antarctica is the most remote area of the world, but a hub for scientific discovery, international diplomacy and environmental change. In our lesson this week, we will learn about some of the people who ventured to Antarctica, some information about the marine life and what it is like to be living in Antarctica. We will also look at some of the explorers that dared to enter this very unwelcoming site! During our session on Tuesday or Thursday, Sue will tell you more about two explorers who were instrumental in the history of Antarctica as well as some of the ways that science has used this continent to study environment and weather. 

Many thanks for Mary Burns for this lesson.

The regions are separated by the Transantarctic Mountains.

Despite the ice, Antarctica is classified a desert because of the lack of precipitation (an average of 2 inches a year). The coastal regions have a little more, but still average only 8 inches a year. But unlike most every other continent, the moisture does not soak into the ground, but instead the snow piles on top of itself.

Because the continent is almost entirely covered in ice and snow, there is no real room for plants to grow. Plant life is limited to some mosses, lichen and algae. Seasonal moss has increased steadily over the last 50 years, which scientists believe will lead to a greener continent as global temperatures continue to rise. There are also a couple of flowering plants, but otherwise, plants do not exist on land.

There are plants that survive in the cold water. Phytoplankton are able to survive, getting their energy from the sun. Krill eat the phytoplankton, and there are some other zooplankton and bottom-dwelling creatures. But that sums up the herbivores of Antarctica. Everything else is a predator.

Antarctica hosts an abundance of wildlife. Large populations of penguins, whales, fish and invertebrates thrive along the coasts and in the seas, especially in the summer. The male emperor penguin is the only warm- blooded animal to remain on the continent through the freezing winter while nesting on a single egg laid by its mate. (The female spends nine weeks at sea and returns in time for the egg to hatch.)

Here is more information about some of the animals you might find:

Seals: There are four types of seals which live in the water surrounding Antarctica. They are the leopard, crabeater, Weddell and southern elephant. They are slow predators who lay in wait for their prey to appear. Only the leopard seal pays any attention to humans who might come across them. This seal can be aggressive to humans in small boats. They are fierce predators who are happy to eat anything.

Whales: During the austral summer (summer in the Southern Hemisphere from November to February), many different types of whales can be found who will feed on fish, squid and plankton. Killer whales are the most ambitious and aggressive hunters and look for seals, seabirds and even other whales. They are successful especially when they hunt in groups. Other whale species that travel south for the summer include humpback, fin and the blue whale (the largest animal on earth).

Penguins: Penguins are probably our favorite creature of Antarctica. They feed mostly on krill and very small fish. They spend most of the time in the water, but will come on land to mate and raise their chicks. They are also not shy around people, but they can bite.

Bugs: There are bugs, pretty much the only creatures that can survive on the surface. They spend winter in hibernation (standing perfectly still as their blood works to keep them from freezing). They eat in the summer, feeding on smaller bugs.

Although they do not live on Antarctica, you might find other animals in the area. They include:

Albatross: These giant birds, a combination of a white head and black brow, have the longest wingspan of any bird, up to 11 feet. They are rarely seen on land, using their wide wings to ride the ocean winds and glide for hours without flapping their wings. They drink saltwater, so they don’t have to stop on land except to mate and raise their young. These birds can live as long as 50 years.

Orcas: Although known as killer whales, they are not part of the whale family. Instead, they are the largest member of the dolphin family and travel in groups known as pods. They use echolation (bouncing sound off object to determine the location) to feed on fish, squid, birds and other animals. A newly born calf can weight up to 400 pounds and be up to 7 feet in length.

Leopard seal: Named for the spotted fur coat, they are one of the primary predators in Antarctica, eating fish, squid, penguins and even other seals. They have no ear flaps but hear instead from the inside.

Blue Whales: These enormous animals can grow as long as 100 feet and weigh more than 120 tons. In fact, their tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant. They are not really blue, but actually a blue-gray, but their underbellies are yellowish, due to microorganisms that live on their skin.

Krill: Small, shrimp-like crustaceans that feed on microscopic phytoplankton. Interestingly enough, the largest animal on earth (blue whale) survive off krill.

Yes, people do live in Antarctica, but unlike most any other continent, there are no permanent residents. There are no indigenous people, with no particular cultures unique to Antarctica. Still, it is interesting to note what it is like to be there on a somewhat permanent basis.

There are estimated to be up to 5000 scientists and researchers living in Antarctica during the summer, along with some 45,000 Antarctic tourists visiting on expedition cruise ships. In winter, the number drops to approximately 1,000 scientific researchers.

There are around 66 scientific stations scattered across the continent, all of which serve as national research bases. They support populations of as many as 1,300 or as few as six.

People live there to work and study. They live in special stations that are fully insulated with their own rooms and bathrooms. They have similar food, except a definite lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. With small communities of maybe 20 or more people at a time, it is important that everyone gets along.

Besides the scientists who are doing research on the atmosphere, biology, glaciers, medicine, human impact and the environment, there are also tradespeople who live at the stations and include plumbers, electricians, mechanics and carpenters.

How can people live in Antarctica? The stations are remote, self-sustaining outposts made of durable buildings and transportation to support scientific research, operations and the daily lives of those who live there. They may have mess halls, medical facilities, educational institutions and even greenhouses. They will also have dorm style accommodation and communal areas for entertainment and group activities.

It can be so cold that you cannot step outside without all of your layers, including insulated boots, heavy waterproof jacket and thick over-pants. In high-wind or white-out conditions, the visibility can be so low that no one is permitted outside anyway. Along those lines, wearing layers is recommended, because as you work and move outside, you might begin to sweat. That would make your clothing damp, and could be harmful. If you are not going to be active, you can enjoy outdoor passive activities with heavy quilted garments such as freezer suits and duvet jackets.

There are activities, including inter-station dart tournaments and short film competitions, polar plunges, over snow rides on quad bikes, and occasionally a cruise along the coastline in a Zodiac.

Since the bases are bound by the Antarctic Treaty and Madrid Protocol, Antarctica is a natural reserve (People in Antarctica, 2018), devoted to peace and science. All activities are subject to environmental assessment, and station staff must ensure that the environment is always top priority.

The indigenous Maori people of New Zealand were the first to tell tales of the frozen land we now call Antarctica. It wasn’t until the early 1500s that Ferdinand Magellan approached Antarctica on his journey to circle the seas. While Magellan didn’t attempt a close approach, his accounts verified legend of “Terra Australis Incognita”—a mythical land to the farthest southern reach of the poles (der Watt, 2020).

The icy continent and frozen water remained impenetrable to humans for several hundred years more, until the 1800s. In fact, it’s up for debate who first laid eyes upon Antarctica. In the early 1800s sightings were reported by German, Russian, British, and American ships (der Watt, 2020).

Why would anyone want to risk life and limb to explore this frigid territory?

The lure of seal hunting was one motivation, and charting the Earth’s magnetic field was another driving force for early expeditions. And of course another motivation was our human tendency to want to know the unknown (not to mention the competition and rivalry between countries to see who could stake their flag first) (der Watt, 2020).

As cartography methods became more efficient, sealers and other hunters were better able to access the sub-Antarctic sea routes. Hunters from Britain and the United States were the first to exploit the area, and by the mid-19th century other countries (France, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa) joined the fray. It was dangerous, though lucrative, work (der Watt, 2020).

Captain Edward Bransfield was thought to be the first man to glimpse the Antarctic continent on January 30, 1820. He was no stranger to arctic waters. The year before, he charted and mapped the South Shetland Islands (in the Tierra del Fuego province) (Discovery of Antarctica, 2020).

But a few days earlier, the Russian expedition under Captain Fabien Gottleib von Bellingshausen also claimed to see land. Bellingshausen’s claim didn’t receive much attention when he returned to Russia, so it remained unknown for many years. Still, more recently as historians re-examined Bellingshausen’s descriptions of the mountains, ice caps, and land forms that he saw, they believe he may have been the first to lay eyes on the continent (Discovery of Antarctica, 2020).

Which leads to our next question: Who landed first?

This is another blurry area. John Davis, captain of a British-American sealing expedition, claims he landed at Hughes Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula on February 7th, 1821, but historians haven’t been able to confirm this. The first official landing was recorded on January 24, 1895 at Cape Adare when a small whaling crew rowed ashore under the command of Henryk Bull (Discovery of Antarctica, 2020).

But how could it be true that no one landed on the Antarctic continent for the 74 years between these claims (1820 and 1895)?

A few factors made it hard to tell the truth. First, the whalers and sealers didn’t want to spill their secrets about the best hunting sites. Second, because of the numerous islands and ice forms off the coast, it was difficult to tell whether the explorers or hunters were actually standing on Antarctic land or promontories of ice (Discovery of Antarctica, 2020).

By the early 1900s, scientific advances and technology made it possible for crews to stay longer in their wintry expeditions. The first expedition reported to stay through a winter was Captain Adrien de Gerlache’s Belgian ship in 1898 (der Watt, 2020).

The efforts of explorers like Ernest Shackleton forged the icy path across Antarctica—literally! Expeditions continued the journey ever southward using the newest technology available (motorized transport).

Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition turned disastrous when his ship was crushed in ice packs in 1915. It took a few more decades before the British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition successfully crossed the continent in 1958. This expedition, led by Vivan Fuchs and Edmund Hillary, used specially equipped vehicles and aerial flights to travel from Shackleton base to Ross Island (der Watt, 2020).

Between World Wars I and II, aviation technology made it possible to chart and explore Antarctica. Technology developed during the wars included improved radio transmission, cameras (especially aerial photography), and ski planes. These all helped us learn more about this icy continent (der Watt, 2020).

In the 1950s several scientific programs were launched from Antarctica to explore physics, oceanography, seismology, and meteorology. Today more than ever it’s important to coordinate international Antarctic research. Numerous stations from many countries learn about the polar regions and how they fit into our global system.

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https://www.hurtigruten.com/destinations/antarctica/inspiration/wildlif e/

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https://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/History/dis covery-of-antarctica.php

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