Category: Above The Ice

Harp Seal

Harp seals are pinnipeds, which mean that they are able to live on land and in the water. They are very social creatures who stay together in large herds but only form bonds with their young. Ancestors of the seals were most likely dogs. Perhaps that is why their young are called pups. Creatures that

Snow Leopard

Among the most rugged and mountaineer areas of Asia and the Himalayas lives a large cat who traverses them with no problems or difficulties. He can pad silently across the snow with minimal problem at all except one. Man. Hunted for its marvelous pelts for the fur trade, illegal wildlife traders and the loss of

Walrus

Is what is known as a pinniped. Their name means (pinni) wing, and (ped) meaning foot. This means they have a wing like feet. Walruses are the very largest pinnipeds in the Arctic. They enjoy living in shallow areas in the water and ice floes or land to lie on. There are two kinds of

Dall Sheep

Dall sheep have an extremely wide range of habitat. They are arctic, but also sub arctic animals. Dall Sheep will range from alpine ridges, meadows and anywhere they feel able to easily escape. They fly into the rocky slopes where predators such as human, bear and wolves have great trouble navigating. The male Dall Sheep,

Musk Ox

The Musk Ox, which is known to the Alaskan natives as a Oomingmak, meaning animal with a beard, are extremely large animals, standing 3-5 feet at the shoulder and weighing in at between500 and 900 pounds. They have shaggy fur which covers the entire body, including the udders on the female. Their horns are wide

Collared Lemming

Another of our Artic friends, the collared lemming is particularly interesting because he has adapted so well to the Arctic. The Collared Lemming is not a “true” lemming in every sense of the word, but it is a small rodent type animal that burrows beneath the snow to make long tunnels and nesting rooms. Due

Arctic Wolf

All wolves are supremely adaptable to their environment, but perhaps the most adaptable would be the arctic They have found a small space in the world where they are safe from the most dangerous predator of all…..man. Arctic wolves live in packs of family members including the leaders, which are called the alpha male and

Penguin

The number of penguin species has been and still is a matter of debate. The numbers of penguin species listed in the literature varies between 16 and 19 species. Some sources consider the White-flippered Penguin a separate Eudyptula species, while others treat it as a subspecies of the Little Penguin (e.g. Williams, 1995; Davis &

Polar Bear

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), also known as the white bear, northern bear, or sea bear, is native to the Arctic. It is one of the two largest land carnivore species and the apex predator within its range. It is well-adapted to its habitat: its thick blubber and fur insulate it against the cold and

Arctic Fox

The Arctic fox is well adapted to live in the cold Arctic. In winter its thick, bushy coat turns white. This makes it very hard to see the fox. The prey is not able to spot the Arctic fox until it is too late. Because of its thick coat, it is able to survive in