Polar Wildlife Holidays

Polar Wildlife

Take a voyage to the ends of the earth, on an awe-inspiring journey to the Polar regions of the Arctic or Antarctic. Here you’ll find an icy wilderness made up of the some of the most beautiful and wild scenery you could imagine, icebergs the size of housing estates, and a range of fascinating wildlife, including Polar bears, walruses, penguins, seals and whales. 

Once reserved for ground-breaking pioneers and seasoned adventurers, these days you can explore the Poles in comfort on small ships crewed by committed staff with extraordinary levels of experience and a dedicated work ethic. These are the people who make the adventure of a lifetime possible. The wildlife in each Pole is completely different. The Antarctic is colder, and there are no indigenous inhabitants. Instead there are six million (and six species) of penguins. And the Arctic is the only place in the world where you’l find Polar bears. Unique flora and fauna has developed in each region too.

Antarctica Wildlife 

Antarctica is very cold, very dry, and very windy. These three qualities inhibit life to a great extent. The harsh climate tends to freeze living organisms, dry them and blow them away. However, animal life abounds in the seas surrounding Antarctica, and migratory seabirds and marine mammals are found in tremendous numbers around the coastal areas from late October to early March, and on the sea ice during the rest of the year. Unlikely as it may seem, the biological productivity in Antarctic waters is the highest in the world.

Arctic Wildlife

At first glance, the Arctic landscape appears desolate and lifeless. With vegetation generally limited to a few inches in height, and often sparsely distributed, the term ‘barren grounds’ would seem highly appropriate. Yet there is a surprising richness in this vegetation. Birds, with the benefit of their extreme mobility, are able to avail themselves of Arctic resources during periods of optimum abundance, whilst only about 48 mammal species are found in the Arctic.