Antarctic animals - The most abundant and best known animals from the southern continent, penguins, whales seals, albatrosses, other seabirds and a range of invertebrates you may have not heard of such as krill which form the basis of the Antarctic food web. Most of the animals of the south polar region are seasonal visitors, conditions are just too hard for most animals to live there in the winter.
Antarctic Animals
A List of Antarctic Wildlife
Arctic
animals here - north polar
Antarctica has an abundance of animal life including the charismatic
mega fauna that you have seen pictures and videos of, though
you may be surprised to find that they live far more interesting
and complex lives than you imagine. Almost all of these animals
are dependent on the sea, the largest truly land animal is a
wingless midge about 13mm / 0.5 of an inch long. As the animal
life is dependent on the sea and are mainly warm blooded, they
tend to be pretty large as a survival technique against the
extreme and relentless cold. That Antarctica can support such
an abundance of large animals is a result of the productivity
of the southern polar sea.Penguins
Emperor penguins
Aptenodytes forsteri
King Penguins
Aptenodytes patagonica
Adelie penguin
Pygoscelis adeliae
Chinstrap penguin
Pygoscelis antarctica
Gentoo penguin
Pygoscelis papua
Whales and Seals

Whale species
Species and lifestyle

Weddell seals
Leptonychotes weddelli
Southern Fur
seal
Arctocephalus gazella
Southern Elephant seal
Mirounga leonina
Crabeater seal
Lobodon carcinophagus
Leopard Seal
Hydruga leptonyx
Other Animals
Krill
Euphausia superba
Wandering albatross
Diomedea exulans
Snow petrel
Pagrodama nivea
Antarctic skua
Catharacta maccormicki
Blue eyed shag
Phalacrocopax atriceps
Giant petrel
Macronectes giganteus
Cape pigeon
Daption capensis
Snowy Sheathbill
Chionis albus
Arctic tern
Sterna vittata