Ross Dependency Megafauna

Antarctica is unique as the only continent on Earth with no terrestrial mammals. It is instead home to several populations of marine mammals and birds, including five of the world’s 18 penguin species, which sit at the top of a thriving ecosystem.

Penguins are flightless birds highly adapted for the marine environment. Emperor penguins can dive to over 500 metres below sea level, and their shape makes them extremely agile under water. These penguins are one of the most recognisable animals that stay at Ross Island for the long Antarctic winter.

Ross Island’s emperor penguin colony is situated on the sea ice at Cape Crozier and is one of the southernmost colonies in the world. Cape Crozier is also home to one of the largest Adélie penguin breeding colonies in the world, as well as a large breeding colony of south polar skua, though the Adélies and skua only call Ross Island home for the summer.

Emperor penguins breed on the sheltered sections of sea ice that push up against the Ross Ice Shelf. Huddled into groups for warmth against the cold winter storms the male penguins incubate the eggs by carrying them on the top of their feet covered by a flap of insulated skin.

During the start of the summer, juvenile emperors can often be seen wandering the sea ice in small groups. Inquisitive animals, the juvenile penguins will often come to investigate anyone passing by or working. If a person sits or lies very still, these penguins may approach to within a few metres, where they will stand and stare. Like people, the penguins show a range of personalities, with the braver and more inquisitive leading the groups, and the shyer ones slightly behind. If you are quiet and slow, as you start to walk away you may find a line of penguins waddling in step behind you, quite happy to follow you in whatever direction you happen to be going.

In contrast to the slower more laid-back personalities of emperor penguins, Adélies penguins seen alone out on the sea ice move with purpose. Waddling at pace, wings back and heads up, lone adelié penguins are on a mission. While they might stop briefly to check up on what you are doing, they’ll quickly turn and scurry off in seemingly random directions with goals in mind that only they knew.

Lone Adélies also turn up at Scott Base, interested in the goings-on and looking for a quiet covered place to moult. During February and March, daily base meetings cover current penguin locations to ensure minimal disturbance. Checking under vehicles and sleds becomes part of the regular start-up procedure, and often vehicles go unused and jobs are delayed so as not to disturb the local visitors.

Ross Dependency Megafauna was issued on 1 September 2021.