Page 70 - World of Animals - Issue #30

Explore the Earth

Spot the

imposter

Antarctica might be one of the most
pristine environments on the planet,
but there are already some animals
that shouldn’t be there. King crabs,
which are most commonly found off
the coast of Alaska, have been spotted

on the seafloor close to the Antarctic
Peninsula. The large crustaceans
cannot survive in waters below around
one degree Celsius (33.8 degrees
Fahrenheit), but with rising ocean
temperatures, their territory appears
to be gradually expanding. Never
having encountered crabs before,
other Antarctic animals are not well
defended against claw attacks and if
the crustaceans manage to take hold
in the area, the consequences could
be devastating.

Marvel as the

macaronis

come ashore

These curious birds can be found on
the Sub-Antarctic Islands and on the
north-western Antarctic Peninsula.
Easily spotted, they have bright orange
plumage for eyebrows and a crown
of feathers atop their heads. Winter is
spent at sea but when the chilly weather
relents in October, the penguins come
ashore in their hundreds of thousands to

find a mate, lay eggs, and care for their
young before returning to the ocean
in April. Seeing the macaroni penguin
colonies is a spectacular sight, so try to
time your visit between these months.

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