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[[File:Snow Petrel-1.jpg|thumb|300px|left]]
[[File:Antarctic krill.jpg |250px|left]]
The '''[[snow petrel]]''' is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in [[Antarctica]] and has been seen at the geographic [[South Pole]]. It has the most southerly breeding distribution of any bird.
'''[[Antarctic krill]]''' is a species of [[krill]] found in the [[Antarctica|Antarctic]] waters of the [[Southern Ocean]]. It is a small, swimming crustacean that lives in large schools, called swarms, sometimes reaching densities of 10,000–30,000 individual animals per cubic meter. It feeds directly on minute phytoplankton, thereby using the primary production energy that the phytoplankton originally derived from the sun in order to sustain their open ocean life cycle.


Snow petrels feed mainly on fish, some cephalopods, mollusks, and [[krill]], as well as carrion. During the winter, they disperse to the [[pack ice]], [[ice]] floes, and the open sea. Flocks are characteristically seen sitting on [[iceberg]]s. Only very rarely are they observed north of the pack ice.
It grows to a length of 6 cm, weighs up to 2 grams, and can live for up to six years. It is a key species in the Antarctic ecosystem and is, in terms of biomass, probably the most abundant animal species on the planet. In 2019, the Antarctic krill was featured on a [[Stamps of Westarctica|stamp of Westarctica]] to celebrate its role as a vital part of the Antarctic ecosystem.


With an occurrence range of 35,900,000 km2 (13,861,067 sq mi), and an estimated population of 4 million adult birds, the IUCN has classified this bird as least concern for conservation efforts.
'''([[Antarctic krill|Full Article...]])'''
 
'''([[Snow petrel|Full Article...]])'''

Latest revision as of 22:23, 1 January 2026

Antarctic krill.jpg

Antarctic krill is a species of krill found in the Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. It is a small, swimming crustacean that lives in large schools, called swarms, sometimes reaching densities of 10,000–30,000 individual animals per cubic meter. It feeds directly on minute phytoplankton, thereby using the primary production energy that the phytoplankton originally derived from the sun in order to sustain their open ocean life cycle.

It grows to a length of 6 cm, weighs up to 2 grams, and can live for up to six years. It is a key species in the Antarctic ecosystem and is, in terms of biomass, probably the most abundant animal species on the planet. In 2019, the Antarctic krill was featured on a stamp of Westarctica to celebrate its role as a vital part of the Antarctic ecosystem.

(Full Article...)