Seals and some penguins: polar explorers showed the “autumn” inhabitants of Antarctica. PHOTO

Seals and some penguins: polar explorers showed the “autumn” inhabitants of Antarctica.  PHOTO



Winter is approaching in the Antarctic, so the Ukrainian polar explorers at the “Akademik Vernadskyi” station have fewer noisy neighbors. First of all, we are talking about subantarctic penguins, which are called donkey penguins because of their characteristic cries. Currently, these birds are not around the station, as they have moved further north, the National Antarctic Science Center reports. “This summer, their number on our Galindez island reached 4,000! So imagine what kind of donkey cacophony the expedition members listened to around the clock (yes, yes, these cute animals don’t shut up at night either),” polar explorers say. However, the “Vernadskyi” station is still surrounded by many animals: fur seals, elephants, birds. Photos of animals were shared by polar explorer Dmytro Krychun. The penguins have gone to warmer places, but there is a fur seal. Photo: Dmytro Krychun When it’s spring in Ukraine, it’s autumn in the cold Antarctic. That’s why the penguins, with which the polar explorers have delighted subscribers for the past six months, go to warmer places. “Now there are no penguins around the station, but on the island you can still meet individuals or small groups of up to 5 birds. Most likely, these are those whose molting period is somewhat “late”. more northern territories, where it is warmer, and therefore there is greater access to open areas of the ocean,” the scientists say. Read also: Baby boom in Antarctica: polar explorers showed how a baby penguin hatches from an egg. VIDEO There are still single penguins or small groups on Galindez Island. Open water is vital for penguins, because it is where they get food – krill and fish. But the climate is changing and winters in the “Vernadskyi” area are becoming warmer, so you can meet single penguins on Galindez Island and neighboring islands even in the winter months. Penguins should return in the Antarctic spring At the same time, a mass return of penguins should take place in the Antarctic spring. Then the birds will return to Galindez to build nests and hatch their young. Antarctic autumn is the period of visits to the island of fur seals and elephant seals On the other hand, Antarctic autumn is the period of visit to the island of subantarctic seals and young southern elephant seals. “Seals come here to rest on the flat rocky “beds”. Moreover, some of them like the surroundings of “Vernadskyi” so much that they don’t leave them even in winter,” polar explorers say. Seals come to the island to rest on flat rocky “beds”. Elephant seals mostly live in the Subantarctic area, where they arrange shore roosts on the islands from spring to autumn (for breeding and molting), and return to a marine lifestyle in winter. “At the same time, young animals that have not yet taken part in reproduction sometimes come to our island in the fall to give birth. And, like seals, they really don’t like it when someone disturbs their sweet sleep,” the researchers say. Read also: “Weddell’s rides”: polar explorers showed the fun of seals. VIDEO Here’s another little cat. The elephants, obviously, did not get into the frame. And the polar explorers are now not allowed to miss some species of birds that stay in the area of ​​the station all year round. For example, a white sow or a Dominican martin. Read also: Polar scientists showed which birds can be seen near the Vernadskyi station. PHOTO And polar explorers are not allowed to miss some species of birds in the “autumn”. We will remind you that earlier Ukrainian polar explorers showed the little-known Nelson Island for the first time. Also, researchers began to study the behavior of whales with the help of drones. Read also: Fluffy and cute: polar explorers showed the chick of the main predator of Antarctica. VIDEO



Original Source Link