Page 26 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Antarctica SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Arctic p.25
▸ ▸ Birds p.39
Antarctica is the fifth largest and most southern continent. ▸ ▸ Changing world
It is very cold and windy. Most of the land is buried under pp.50–51
huge ice sheets, which stretch far out into the sea. In winter, ▸ ▸ Climate change

it can be as cold as –130ºF (–90°C), and windspeeds during p.60
storms can reach an incredible 200 mph (320 kph). ▸ ▸ Explorers p.96
▸ ▸ Glaciers p.122

Antarctica Blackfin
is a great place to icefish
find meteorites. Research
Patagonian These dark space ship
toothfish rocks stand
out against the
white snow. South Gigantic icebergs
polar skua Snow petrel break off from the
Antarctic ice sheet
and float northward.
Minke whale
Weddell
Fossil ferns found in seal Wandering
Antarctica show us albatross Iceberg
that it was once a
much warmer place.
Fossil fern
South
About Mount Pole
Antarctica Vinson Antarctic krill

Lake Scientists are
Vostok drilling into
Population: Lake Vostok,
4,000 Scott Base 2.5 miles (4 km)
research station below the ice,
looking for new
life forms.
Highest point: Leopard
Mount Vinson Race to the pole seal Mount
In 1911, Norwegian explorer Erebus
Adélie
Roald Amundsen beat Britain’s penguin
Lowest point: Robert Scott in the race to be
Bentley Subglacial the first to the South
Trench Pole. Sadly, Scott’s Emperor penguin
team died on the chicks are raised
return journey. Amundsen on the sea ice.
Biggest desert: used dogsleds
The whole to reach the Big penguins
continent South Pole. Emperor penguins are
the largest kind of
penguin. They eat fish
Longest river: and squid and dive as
Onyx deep as 1,640 ft (500 m)
when hunting for food.

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