Do fur seals live in Antarctica? Unique fauna in Antarctica

Goals:

• give an idea of ​​the natural features of Antarctica.
• develop in students the ability to name and show the features of the components of the nature of Antarctica,
• establish cause-and-effect relationships, determine climate indicators according to the map and climatograms,
• predict trends in changes in the nature of the earth subject to melting ice sheets, work with various sources of geographic information.
• help students realize the practical significance of studying nature of Antarctica.

Equipment: maps of Antarctica (physical, climatic), illustrations of natural objects of Antarctica, presentation ( Annex 1 ), documentary film "Birds-2", "Antarctica"

DURING THE CLASSES

The south polar region of the Earth is called Antarctica. This name comes from two words: “anti” - against and “Arktos” - this is the Greek name for the constellation Ursa Major, under which lies the polar northern region, or the Arctic. Antarctica literally means opposite to the Arctic. The continent located in the center of Antarctica is called Antarctica, with an area of ​​14 million km2. The adjacent water area belongs to the waters of the Southern Ocean. It includes the southern ends of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. Mark them on the outline map.
Wherever you go here, in whatever direction, you will definitely end up north. And why? The answer lies in geographical location: the south pole is located in the central part of the continent, and the southern polar circle serves as the outer border of Antarctica.
What do you think about this geographical position, how it can affect the characteristics of the continent of Antarctica. Determines harsh climatic conditions and the uniqueness of nature. Let's determine from the maps what climatic zones the continent lies in and how they are characterized. Antarctica - in the subantarctic, Antarctica - in the antarctic
It's harsh here Cold winter and cold summer. January temperature (–32 – 0), July temperature (–64 –16). Why is it so cold here?

• Far from the equator, small angle of sunlight. But in the Arctic in the north everything is warmer, although it also has a polar geographical location! So, there are other reasons, what are they?
• This is an elevated continent, not an ocean, and in addition this continent is covered with a thick layer of ice, the higher it is, the colder it is.
• It is located beyond the Arctic Circle, where there is winter for six months, when the Sun does not heat the surface of the continent, but also summer for six months. During this time, the land receives an amount of heat and light that is comparable to that of the tropics. And here the glacier stands guard, reflecting this heat like a powerful mirror.

Dry air at low temperatures and an insignificant amount of precipitation in the center gradually increases towards the coast from 50 to 500 mm per year. This is facilitated by the formed areas high pressure see page 38 fig. 17 air masses spread from the center of the continent to the coastal zone, forming the so-called katabatic winds. The wind pole is located near the Russkaya station.

Glaciers arise from layers of snow that falls annually but does not melt. Snowflakes gradually turn into ice grains, and under the weight of the overlying layers they form ice. In different areas, this process takes from 190 to 1000 years. Thanks to this, about 80% of all fresh water globe.
Let's look at the diagram: “Ice cover of Antarctica.”

How is the ice cover distributed across the continent? In the eastern part of Antarctica the thickness of the glacier is greater than in the western part. The largest ice thickness of 4744 m was discovered near Vostok station. average value about 2000 m. Thanks to this ice cap average height continent exceeds the heights of other continents.
These powerful glaciers move from the center to the outskirts, creating icebergs and cracks in the ice sheet.

It is the icebergs that give the mainland's coastline the ghostliness, and it changes periodically.
Well, what does the ice cap accumulated over centuries hide?
And is Antarctica really a continent or an archipelago?
The subglacial terrain is varied, there are both mountains and plains. Let's mark them on the contour map.

Deposits of graphite, beryl, topaz, rock crystal, copper pyrite, iron ore, and coal have been explored here in the mountains of Queen Maud Land. But the harsh conditions of the Ice Continent constrain even the most leisurely.
But is this continent really deserted and lifeless?
No, life is present almost everywhere, vegetation is represented by mosses, lichens, algae, but animal world connected with the oceans washing the mainland, the waters of which are rich in plankton, krill, fish, so they have all the equipment for hunting underwater:
Modified limbs - flippers
The streamlined body shape and torpedoes in the evening dress speak of penguins
Fat deposits.
There are oases here - territories with more favorable conditions for the development of life compared to the surrounding area. These are areas of land free from ice, where the temperature is higher and the rocks warm up well.
“With the advent of man, the continents are rapidly becoming decrepit.” And the nature of Antarctica is very vulnerable, so on December 1, 1959, the Antarctic Treaty was signed.
At the end of our creative work Let's check the strength of your knowledge. You are invited to solve a crossword puzzle. And the most famous song “Penguins”, the anthem of Antarctica, will lift your strength and mood ( Appendix 2 ).

Crossword "Antarctica"

Questions:

1. Ice-free land area.
2. “Blanket” of Antarctica.
3. The strongest winds of the mainland.
4. The most common plant on the mainland.
5. Mainland volcano.
6. The largest animal in Antarctic waters.
7. The largest peninsula.
8. The animal is a symbol of Antarctica.
9. The pole with the lowest temperature is 89.2°.
10. The largest ice shelf.

Blitz survey "ANTARCTIDA"

1. Almost the entire continent is located within the southern polar circle.

a) yes;
b) no.

2. Almost the entire continent is covered with ice, the average thickness of which is approximately 2,000 m.

c) no;
n) yes.

3. What is the area of ​​Antarctica:

t) 14 million km;
e) 54 million km.

4. What percent of the Earth's fresh water is contained in the glacial shell of Antarctica?

a) 80%;
b) 50%.

5. What are the names of huge floating ice mountains, fragments of continental ice sliding into the ocean?

j) island;
p) iceberg.

6. Up to 90% of the solar heat received by the continent is reflected from the snow cover?

m) no;
j) yes.

7. What volcano is there in Antarctica?

r) Erebus;
x) Elbrus.

8. Why is Antarctica called the “refrigerator” of the Earth?

c) a lot of snow;
i) the lowest temperatures.

9. What animal can be a symbol of Antarctica?

r) seal;
d) penguin.

10. What are the ice-free areas called, where exposed rocks come to the surface and lichens appear?

a) oasis;
b) loaches.

Whoever got the name of the continent in the answer, feel free to give yourself a high five.

Fauna of Antarctica directly related to its climate. Therefore, all living organisms of this continent are located only in those places where plants are present.

According to information received from scientists, all animals of Antarctica, are divided into aquatic and terrestrial. At the same time, completely land representatives of the fauna do not exist on this continent. List of animals of Antarctica(the most popular) are presented below.

Mammals of Antarctica

Weddell seal

This type representatives of the fauna acquired its name thanks to the commander of an industrial expedition in one of the seas of Antarctica (also named after this scientist) - James Weddell.

This type of animal lives throughout coastal areas Antarctica. According to calculations at the moment, their number is 800 thousand.

An adult of this species can reach a length of up to 350 centimeters. Their difference is that they can stay under water for an entire hour. Their diet includes fish and cephalopods, which they catch without problems at depths of up to 800 meters.

IN autumn period For years they have been gnawing holes in the newly formed ice so that they can breathe. Such actions lead to the fact that older representatives of the species, as a rule, have broken teeth.

Pictured is a Weddell seal

Crabeater seals

The crabeater seal is noted as the only one from the family of True seals. It is the most common species not only among those living in Antarctica, but also among those living throughout the world. According to various estimates by scientists, their number varies from 7 to 40 million individuals.

The name of these animals has nothing to do with reality, since they are not included in their diet. These mammals feed mainly on Antarctic krill.

The size of crabeater seals that have reached mature age, can reach a length of 220–260 centimeters, and their weight varies from 200 to 300 kilograms.

There is an elongated and fairly slender physique. The muzzle is elongated and narrow. The actual color of their fur is dark brown, but after fading it becomes creamy white.

Crabeater seals have a scalloped-tubercular shape of their lateral teeth. This shape means that they fit tightly together and create a sort of sieve that allows them to filter food.

A distinctive quality of this type of seal is that on the shore, they unite in large dense groups. Habitat - marginal seas Antarctica.

They make rookeries on the ice, along which they move quite quickly. The preferred hunting time is at night. Able to stay underwater for 11 minutes.

During the period of feeding babies, the male stays near the female all the time, obtaining food for her and driving away other males. Their lifespan is about 20 years.

Pictured is a crabeater seal

Leopard seal

It is not only the largest, but also the heaviest of all penguin species that live on planet Earth. Its height can reach 122 centimeters, and its weight ranges from 22 to 45 kilograms. Females of this species are smaller than males and their maximum height is 114 centimeters.

Among other species, penguins also stand out for their muscularity. These penguins have black feathers on their backs and white feathers on their chests - this is a kind of protection from enemies. Under the neck and on the cheeks a small amount of orange feathers.

About 300 thousand individuals of these penguins live in Antarctica, but they migrate to mate and lay eggs. These penguins feed on various types of fish, squid and krill.

They live and hunt mainly in groups. Small prey is eaten right on the spot, but larger prey is dragged ashore for cutting. The lifespan is about 25 years.

Emperor penguin

Snow petrel

The snow petrel is a bird that was first discovered in 1777 by Johann Reinhold Forster. The body length of this species of petrel can reach up to 40 centimeters, the wingspan up to 95 centimeters.

The color is white, only at the front upper edge of the eye there is a small dark spot. The beak is black. The paws of this bird species are bluish-gray in color. They love low flights, right above the surface of the water.

Lead relatively sedentary image life. The diet includes small crustaceans, Antarctic krill, and squid. They can nest either in individual pairs or in groups. They prefer to nest on rocky mountain slopes. During the period of feeding the chicks, the male provides food and protection.

Snow petrel

Unfortunately, all presented photos of Antarctica animals are unable to fully describe their beauty, and one can only hope that one day Antarctica will fully reveal its expanses to people.

This is one of the most mysterious and little-studied continents on our planet. Antarctica was discovered by two brave researchers - M. Lazarev and F. Bellingshausen. Their expedition confirmed the presence of Antarctica in the south of the globe. This happened in 1820.

Climatic conditions

The nature of Antarctica has the coldest climate on earth. In 1983, the absolute minimum was officially recorded - minus 89.2 degrees. In winter, temperatures range from -60 to -75 degrees. In summer it rises to -50. And only on the coast the climate is milder: average temperature ranges from 0 to -20 degrees.

Precipitation is possible only in the form of snow, which is compressed under its own weight, forming new layers of ice.

However, Antarctica has rivers and lakes. They appear in the summer, and in the winter they are again covered with an ice crust. Today, scientists have discovered 140 subglacial lakes. Of these, only one does not freeze - Vostok.

Flora of Antarctica

The flora of the continent is extremely poor. The natural features of Antarctica are explained by its harsh climate. Most of all algae grow here - about 700 species. The ice-free plains and coast of the mainland are covered with lichens and mosses. Flowering plants on this harsh land there are only two - the Quito colobanthus and the Antarctic meadowsweet.

Colobanthus Quito refers to This is a low herbaceous plant that has a cushion shape with small pale yellow and white flowers. The height of an adult plant does not exceed five 5 centimeters.

Antarctic meadow grass is a cereal plant. It grows only in areas of the earth illuminated by the sun. These inconspicuous bushes grow up to 20 centimeters. The plant tolerates frost well. Even during flowering it is not harmed by frost.

The flora of Antarctica, represented by a few plants, has adapted to the eternal cold. Their cells contain little water, all processes are slow.

Animals

The natural features of Antarctica have left their mark on the fauna of the continent. The animals of this icy country live only where there is vegetation. Despite the harsh climate, dinosaurs lived in Antarctica in ancient times.

Antarctic animals can be divided into two independent groups - aquatic and terrestrial. It should be noted that there are no animals permanently living on land in Antarctica.

The waters surrounding the mainland are rich in zooplankton, which is the main food for seals, whales, penguins and fur seals. Live here ice fish - amazing creatures, adapted to existence in ice water.

Large animals of Antarctica include which attract large numbers of shrimp.

Blue-green algae and roundworms, crustaceans and daphnia are found.

Birds

Antarctica is home to penguins, Arctic terns and skuas. The nature of the mainland does not allow living here more birds There are four species of penguins living in Antarctica. The largest population is imperial. Occasionally on southern mainland petrels fly in.

Mammals

Antarctica, whose nature is too harsh for animals to live in, can only boast of those species that are able to live both on land and in water. First of all, these are seals. In addition, leopard seals live on the coast and there are small sand or black and white dolphins, which whalers call

Predators of Antarctica

This continent is home to a wide variety of predators. Their diet mainly consists of planktonic crustaceans. Of these, it is necessary to highlight the leopard seal - the largest seal that feeds on krill. It lives at shallow depths. At the same time, it also has the reputation of a predator, which is capable of hunting large animals. Such hunting, however, is only seasonal and is intended to diversify the diet, which consists of squid and fish, but its basis is krill. A small number of these sea ​​predators stays close to rookeries and penguin colonies. In most cases, these giants drift on ice floes along the peninsula and, by the beginning of winter, gather in large quantities off South Georgia.

Leopard seals are real giants. The officially registered length is 3.8 meters, but larger animals have been encountered.

By autumn, leopards change their lifestyle and come close to the shore, along which inexperienced young fur seals and penguins descend.

Invertebrates

Whoever the Antarctic nature is completely suited to is invertebrate arthropods. Antarctica is home to 67 species of ticks and four species of lice. There are lice eaters, fleas and, of course, mosquitoes here. It should be noted that wingless ringing mosquitoes, which have a coal-black color, live only on icy continent. These insects are endemic and belong to completely land animals.

The bulk of invertebrates and insects were brought to the southern continent by birds.

Tourism

Despite the harsh climate, about six thousand tourists come to Antarctica every year. Most of them go to the Antarctic Peninsula, where there is an airfield and a tourist base. In the 1990s, tourists began to visit the Ross Sea.

Antarctica is the most cold continent. However, the animal and plant world, although sparsely, is represented and has its own magical beauty! So what animals live in Antarctica?

Features of the animal world of Antarctica

Because of harsh conditions There are not many representatives of wildlife living on the mainland. Most of them are migratory, that is, when cold weather sets in, they move to a warmer area. The living world is connected to the oceans and only a little to the coast. Completely land dwellers cannot be found here. The waters are rich in plankton - a food source for cetaceans (blue whale, fin whale, sperm whales, killer whale), pinnipeds (seals, elephant seals), fish, and birds.

Mammals of Antarctica

The order of mammals includes cetaceans, which include whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Yes, yes, whales are not fish at all, but representatives of mammals, like humans. They feed their baby milk for more than six months.

The most famous cetacean in Antarctica is the blue whale. This is an animal that lives in the waters of the Southern Ocean (southern borders of the Northern Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean), is the largest inhabitant on Earth. The length of its body is on average 25 meters, but can reach 40 meters. The weight of this giant ranges from 100 to 120 tons.

Rice. 1. Blue whale in Antarctica.

The fin whale is also a cetacean. This large animal of Antarctica ranks second after blue whale according to its dimensions. Its weight can reach 70 tons.

TOP 1 articlewho are reading along with this

Common in Antarctica different kinds seals: Weddell seals, crabeater seals, sea ​​Elephant. The Weddell seal lives on ice and weighs 400-450 kg. This animal feeds mainly on fish and also squid. It is quite difficult to calculate the population of this type of seal, since they live in places where it is difficult for humans to get close.

The crabeater seal, despite its name, does not eat crabs. Their diet includes Antarctic krill, fish and squid.

The largest seal is the elephant seal. Its weight can vary from 1.5 to 3.5 tons.

The largest predator in Antarctica is the leopard seal. It gets its name from the spots all over its body, which are very similar to the spots of a real leopard. This animal is unique in that it is an omnivore; it can eat any animal it can kill.

Birds of Antarctica

Most main bird Antarctica, which is associated with this continent, is the penguin. Several species of this species live in Antarctica. interesting bird. The largest bird on planet Earth is the emperor penguin. its height can reach 122 cm. Their habitat is cliffs and rocks, where they live in large colonies.

The emperor penguin is endemic to Antarctica, meaning these animals live exclusively in the South Pole and are not found anywhere else.

Rice. 2. Emperor penguin.

The king penguin also lives in Antarctica. This is also a fairly large species, but it is inferior in size to the emperor penguin. His maximum height is 100 cm and weight is 18 kg. In addition to their size, these penguins are distinguished from the emperor penguin by their bright and colorful plumage. The main food is fish and squid.

Subantarctic penguin - another inhabitant natural world"cold continent" Its second name is Gentoo penguin. These birds are easily distinguished from other penguin species by their orange-red beak. in addition, the gentoo penguin has the most a long tail compared to other penguins.

The snow petrel is a bird of extraordinary beauty that lives on the continent. This bird has white plumage with a black beak and black eyes. It feeds on crustaceans, Antarctic krill, and squid. They prefer to create nests on rocky mountains.

The giant petrel is a bird that is not similar in appearance to the snow petrel. Its plumage is gray, it feeds on fish, and sometimes can even hunt penguins.

Among the birds one can also distinguish the Antarctic blue-eyed cormorant, white plover, and wandering albatross.

Other animals

Antarctic krill are widespread in the Southern Ocean. This is a tiny crustacean that is the main food source for most mammals, fish and birds in Antarctica. Its length is 6 cm, weight – 2 grams, and life expectancy – up to 6 years.

Rice. 3. Antarctic krill.

There is only one species of flightless insect in Antarctica. This is Belgica Antarctica, which is a black insect. The black color helps to accumulate heat, and thus survive in sub-zero temperatures. Maximum temperature which the insect can withstand is -15 degrees.

What have we learned?

The list of Antarctica's fauna includes mammals, birds, marine life and even insects. The article gives brief information about the most common animals of the continent. This material can be used when writing a report for children for 1st grade.

Test on the topic

Evaluation of the report

Average rating: 4.5. Total ratings received: 260.

Yulia Agapova
Summary of the lesson on familiarization with the outside world “Animals of the Arctic and Antarctica”

GCD according to getting to know the outside world in the preparatory group.

Educator (Agapova Yu. Yu.) MBDOU No. 379

Program tasks:

Strengthen children's knowledge about various climatic zones the globe and their features;

Strengthen ideas about the world animals and plants.

Promote the development of interest in knowledge of the surrounding world;

Support the desire to study nature, provide all possible assistance in protecting its resources.

The teacher reads a poem (shows the globe to the children):

Do you know that somewhere

All year round – winter and summer –

The ocean is hidden from the light

A thick white layer of ice?

It's terribly cold there

Steamboats don't go there

Only large icebreakers

They get there.

Guys, in order to depict the vast territory of our Earth, scientists have compiled a map of the globe (shows map).

And in order to imagine not only the surface of the Earth, but also its shape, a model of the Earth was created - a globe, on which the dimensions were reduced tens of millions of times.

Our planet is a huge, enormous ball. So big that it takes many, many days, even months, to travel around it around.

Let's look at the model of our planet together. What is the name of its smaller copy? (Globe)

Guys, look carefully at the globe, what colors it is painted in. (Children's answers)

Pay attention to White color. It's not just like that. So marked on the globe(and on the map) two opposite polar regions of the Earth - the northernmost and southernmost - Arctic and Antarctica.

What means white color? White is the color of snow, ice, cold. Antarctica and Arctic- the coldest places on earth. It never happens there warm days and rain. Only the frosts crackle, snowing, and snowstorms are blowing.

Arctic washes the Arctic Ocean, and it is almost entirely thick, strong ice. Here in the Far North, in Arctic, ice never melts. Because during the short polar summer the sun does not rise high; its cool rays are reflected from ice and snow. Such a sun cannot melt the ice. In winter it is dark here all day and night. Polar night.

Summer and winter Arctic white with snow and ice.

You won't find a colder place in the whole world. The icy wind brings down more and more mountains of snow. Under their own weight, snowdrifts compact and turn into ice. And so from century to century.

It's very cold in Arctic, but despite the huge ice floes and permafrost, there are inhabitants there that are not found anywhere else. ( polar bear, seal, walrus, reindeer, arctic fox, arctic tern, sea narwhal)

Narwhal. The length of this animal is 4.5 meters for an adult animal, and 1.5 meters for the cub. Weight reaches up to 1.5 tons, of which more than half of the weight is fat.

Narwhals have a horn 2-3 meters long, otherwise this horn is called a tusk. The tusk is used by the narwhal to determine the temperature of the water. Narwhals feed on squid, octopus, and fish. Narwhals are listed in the Red Book.

Polar bears are the largest animals on earth They are good swimmers, they can stay in icy water for hours, they have membranes between their toes, and there are 5 long claws on each paw to prevent them from slipping on the ice. The bear has warm, thick fur, knows how to build a den out of snow, white fur makes it invisible in the snow, eats fish, seals)

The walrus lives in the seas of the Arctic Ocean. The length of its body reaches 4–5 meters. It weighs a ton and can even reach two tons; a walrus can have up to 300 kg of fat. Skin fat animal, strong. The mustache is thick, hard, and there are two fangs on the muzzle. With the help of these fangs, the walrus defends itself from enemies, attacks even a polar bear, and also plows the bottom, pulling out shells, octopuses, squids, that is, small animals that live in sea water.

IN Arctic There is a very beautiful bird - Tern.

Terns have a slender body, long pointed wings and short legs. Terns feed on fish. IN Arctic Terns live only in summer, when Winter is coming to the Arctic, Terns fly south.

Guys, what do you think helps? Animals can't freeze in the Arctic? (they feed on fish, have a thick layer subcutaneous fat, can swim well and dive well.

Guys, in Arctic Dwarf shrubs, cereals, and herbs grow. IN There are no trees in the Arctic.

Russia is the first country to use polar stations.

Guys, what do you think, what can you use to get into Arctic(On the icebreaker.)

You're right guys, only on an icebreaker you can get to Arctic, why do you think? (Children's answers)

And now I suggest you go to South Pole V Antarctica.

Guys, now I want to see how well you remember animals that live in Arctic. (Stand, on the stand there is a map of the earth with two poles, figures animals, which need to be attached.)

Physical education minute

If we turn the globe over, we will see another white area. Only here it’s not the ocean, but the earth, enshrouded in ice. "shell"- huge continent Antarctica.

Guys, Antarctica washed Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean And Indian Ocean. Temperatures in winter are from -60* to – 70*, and in summer from -30* to – 40*, On the coast Antarctica temperature in winter is from 8 to 35 °C, and in summer 0-5 °C.

IN Antarctica has plants, these are mosses and lichens.

IN Antarctica there are amazing animals(king penguin, elephant seal, seal, leopard seal, blue whale, albatross bird)

Seals have smooth skin and swim well. Seals hunt underwater and feed on fish, shrimp, and squid.

Penguins are birds, but they cannot fly, but they swim very well. Penguins walk awkwardly, waddling from side to side or hopping. Penguins eat fish.

Blue whale is the largest animal, up to 33 meters long. The blue whale has an elongated, slender body. The skin of a blue whale is quite smooth and even. Heart huge the animal weighs 800 kg. Whales feed on plankton. Whales release a fountain; the length of the fountain reaches a height of up to 10 m.

Albatross The largest sea ​​bird Russia, the wingspan exceeds 2 meters. The birds are white, there is a yellow coating on the head and neck, the tops of the wings and the edges of the tail are black-brown. The beak and legs are light. Albatrosses feed on fish and shellfish.

Have you heard anything about icebergs? Icebergs are huge mountains of ice that broke away from the icy shores and were carried out to sea by the current. The shapes of icebergs are the most amazing and fancy: either a giant snow-white swan or a hilly island with wide valleys, or an island with high mountains, gorges, waterfalls and steep slopes. There are icebergs that look like a ship with wind-blown sails, a pyramid, or a beautiful castle with turrets.

Icebergs are very beautiful in sunny weather. They appear to be multi-colored.

How did these ice masses appear?

Sometimes off the coast Antarctica huge heavy ones break off from the glacier ice blocks and go on a journey across the ocean. Most of the iceberg is also hidden under water. They float in the sea for 6-12 years, gradually melt and break up into smaller parts.

Are icebergs dangerous?

For whom?

Icebergs pose a great danger to ships. Thus, in 1912, the passenger ship Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg. You've probably heard of him? Many people died. Since then, the International Ice Patrol has been monitoring the movement of icebergs and warning ships of the danger.

What happens to these pieces of ice? Float or sink (children's answers.)-

Today you learned a lot of new and interesting things. What do you particularly remember and like? (children's answers)

(To secure the material)

Guys, let's remember with you:

What are the names of the islands of the Arctic Ocean? (Arctic)

What is the name of the land in the far south? Globe? (Antarctica)

What bird can't fly? (Penguin)

What does a polar bear eat? (Fish, walruses, seals)

Why don't walruses freeze in cold water (Because walruses have a lot of fat)

Well done guys: Guys, I really liked how you listened carefully today, remembered, and answered questions. That's our class is over, thank you for your attention.

(If there is time left, you can invite the children to watch an interesting cartoon from Aunt Owl about Arctic and Antarctic.)