Wildlife in the Polar Regions
Why don’t polar bears eat penguins? Because they don’t like the taste.
And also because they live at two opposing ends of the earth. If you want to see both polar bears and penguins in the wild, your only option is to book two separate polar cruises, as the bears are up in the Arctic, the penguins down in the Antarctic. Which is probably for the best, if you ask a penguin. Our guide to polar wildlife has more details of which animals you can see where.
And also because they live at two opposing ends of the earth. If you want to see both polar bears and penguins in the wild, your only option is to book two separate polar cruises, as the bears are up in the Arctic, the penguins down in the Antarctic. Which is probably for the best, if you ask a penguin. Our guide to polar wildlife has more details of which animals you can see where.
Polar Bears
The world’s largest land predator inspires awe amongst all Arctic travellers – not least because when you’re out looking for polar bears, you’re never quite sure if there’s one out there looking for you.
Known as nanuk by the Canadian Inuit, this cuddly-looking creature is anything but. Weighing up to 550kg, they feed mainly on the blubber of seals which they catch when the seal pops up through a breathing hole in the ice. The bears must follow the ice; the seals live at sea, and catching a swimming seal is near impossible. Beached whales provide a rare but welcome feast – if a carcass is spotted, your ship will likely make a diversion to see if any polar bears are feeding on it.
The polar bear’s Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means sea bear, and these creatures actually spend most of their time at sea. 350km is the furthest a polar bear has ever been recorded swimming – so you’ll need to keep an eye on the sea as well as the ice floes to spot the bear!
Known as nanuk by the Canadian Inuit, this cuddly-looking creature is anything but. Weighing up to 550kg, they feed mainly on the blubber of seals which they catch when the seal pops up through a breathing hole in the ice. The bears must follow the ice; the seals live at sea, and catching a swimming seal is near impossible. Beached whales provide a rare but welcome feast – if a carcass is spotted, your ship will likely make a diversion to see if any polar bears are feeding on it.
The polar bear’s Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means sea bear, and these creatures actually spend most of their time at sea. 350km is the furthest a polar bear has ever been recorded swimming – so you’ll need to keep an eye on the sea as well as the ice floes to spot the bear!
Where to see polar bears in the Arctic?
Arctic cruises vary in itinerary, but you’ll often see polar bears in locations such as Wrangel Island or Franz Josef Land in Russia, Churchill in Canada, and Svalbard in Norway. Crew will give you the option in the evenings of being woken up at night if bears have been spotted on shore.
Something about the penguin's upright waddle makes them strangely human. You'll burn through memory cards on your first wild penguin sighting.![]()
Penguins
These diminutive, flightless birds are one of Antarctica’s biggest draws. Rookeries are surprisingly noisy – and smelly! – but they’re not afraid of humans, so while you are not allowed to approach them, there’s nothing to stop them approaching you. Six species can be found in Antarctica, with Adélie and gentoo being the most common.
Where to see penguins in the Antarctic?
South Georgia and the Falklands are the best places to see penguins in Antarctica, where rookeries can comprise thousands of pairs. As you might expect, it gets pretty noisy.
Seals & walrus
Your image of cuddly seals is sure to change in the Polar Regions. There are tooth-raked bull elephant seals, ferocious, shark-mouthed leopard seals and the blubbery walrus with its fearsome, metre-long tusks.
Elephant seals are found in Patagonia and the South Atlantic archipelagos. True to their name, males are up to 6m long with trunk-like noses. Leopard seals live around the Antarctic Peninsula, where they hunt penguins and other seals, as well as fish and seabirds. Diving trips reveal these master predators in action. Atlantic fur seals are cuter – especially the tiny pups, which can be seen in December and January. Over a million of them breed on the island of South Georgia alone.
Up in the Arctic, the walrus – with its whiskery moustache and old-man skin – has been anthropomorphised in contemporary and traditional culture. Their tusks help them haul their bodies – up to 3.5m long – out of the water and onto slippery ice. They are also used as dangerous weapons by territorial males. Walrus can be seen in Canada, Greenland, Russia and Alaska– often drifting on ice floes.
Elephant seals are found in Patagonia and the South Atlantic archipelagos. True to their name, males are up to 6m long with trunk-like noses. Leopard seals live around the Antarctic Peninsula, where they hunt penguins and other seals, as well as fish and seabirds. Diving trips reveal these master predators in action. Atlantic fur seals are cuter – especially the tiny pups, which can be seen in December and January. Over a million of them breed on the island of South Georgia alone.
Up in the Arctic, the walrus – with its whiskery moustache and old-man skin – has been anthropomorphised in contemporary and traditional culture. Their tusks help them haul their bodies – up to 3.5m long – out of the water and onto slippery ice. They are also used as dangerous weapons by territorial males. Walrus can be seen in Canada, Greenland, Russia and Alaska– often drifting on ice floes.
Our Polar regions Holidays
Classic Antarctica cruise & South Shetland Islands
Experience all that this remarkable area has to offer!
From
US $6590
10 days
ex flights
Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica cruise
The Ultimate Antarctica Experience!
From
€11150
21 days
ex flights
Antarctica small ship cruises
Ultimate Antarctica and South Georgia small ship wildlife cruise
From
£7390 to £22750
22 days
ex flights
Falkland Islands wildlife tour
10 day Falklands birds and wildlife adventure
From
£2894
10 days
ex flights
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
From
£2830 to £8795
8 days
ex flights
Antarctic Peninsula Cruises
An inspiring wilderness & wildlife journey of a lifetime
From
£4050 to £12360
11 days
ex flights
Travel Team
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All whales have an air of mystery, but those inhabiting the Arctic waters are more mysterious than most, from the ghostly beluga to the narwhal - the 'sea unicorn'.![]()
Whales
Playful humpbacks are commonly seen breaching and slapping their enormous flippers. Stunning orcas inhabit both regions, a particularly dramatic sight from a kayak. The world’s largest animal – the blue whale – is less common, but stretching as long as three double-decker buses, a sighting is unforgettable. The ghostly white beluga and the narwhal – the ‘sea unicorn’ – are only found in the Arctic, along with the 60-ton bowhead whale – which has the most enormous mouth of any creature.
Where to see whales in the Arctic?
You can find an incredible 15 species of whales off the coast of Greenland, including belugas, narwhales and bowheads, that are resident year-round. Blue whales frequent the waters off Spitsbergen and the Svalbard archipelago in summer, whilst whales are also commonly spotted in the Canadian Arctic, and the remote Russian archipelago of Franz Josef Land.
Where to see whales in Antarctica?
Antarctica cruises are near-guaranteed to encounter whales, so numerous are they in these waters. There are no fewer than six baleen whale species to be seen including humpbacks, fins and of course the mighty blue whale. Hotspots include Wilhelmina Bay and the Drake Passage.
More about Polar regions
The best time to visit the polar regions is during the Arctic and Antarctic summers.
Our Antarctica and Arctic travel guide explores key differences between exploring these two regions.
These wild, snow-clad lands may appear similar, but look closer and there are great differences.
There are many things fun activities to try in Antarctica and the Arctic away from the mother ship.
You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs, and you can’t reach the North Pole without breaking the ice.
We’re expecting the 2022/23 Antarctica cruise season to be one of the busiest ever.
We've asked our polar experts to share some of their priceless Antarctic and Arctic travel advice.
Find out more about these fragile frozen places, their culture and wildlife, and responsible tourism here.
Got questions need answering? Find all of our useful Antarctica and Arctic guides in one place.
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