OLogy Cards > habitat

Be It Ever So Frigid, There's No Place Like Home
Animals that live near the North and South Poles have to survive in extremely chilly temperatures. The Arctic and Antarctic seas are alive with interesting animals, including whales, giant sponges, and tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill. In the Arctic, polar bears, bearded and ringed seals, and walruses spend much of their lives on the ice. The Antarctic is home to both penguins and leopard seals that feed on the penguins. Animals that live in polar habitats have developed characteristics that enable them to deal with the freezing temperatures. Polar bears and caribou have thick fur. The ears and tail of the arctic fox are very short, preventing them from losing too much body heat. Many species, including seals and penguins, have layers of body fat that help insulate them from the cold. What kind of habitat would you like to live in?