Polar News and Notes Animals

For the past 30 years ago, the use of DDT as a freely used pesticide has diminished worldwide. One of the first successful campaigns against the chemical was based on its effects on birds. So, it came as a surprise to scientists that Adelie penguins in the Antarctic have the same levels of DDT in […]

While the plight of the polar bear deservedly gets most of the attention in Arctic-warming scenarios, the narwhal is even more at risk, according to a study of marine mammals’ vulnerability. Scientists from three countries identified risk factors for 11 mammals that live in the Arctic year-round.  
The narwhal is a pale-colored porpoise with a […]

Six musk ox are roaming along the shores of the Chukchi and northern Bering Seas wearing their new GPS collars.
The Wildlife Conservation Society and other groups outfitted the animals to study how climate change may affect them. Next year in the four-year project, the research team will collar an additional 30-40 more animals.
“Musk ox are […]

Meet Pierre 
A recent news article profiled Pierre, a 25 year-old African penguin at the Academy of Sciences. Biologists became concerned when Pierre, who was going bald, refused to swim in the penguin tank and shivered on the sidelines instead. Unlike polar bears, seals, and other marine mammals, penguins do not have an insulating layer of […]

On Sunday, March 23, Animal Planet will air a 60 minute broadcast about the Adelie penguins of Antarctica and the challenges they face due to rapid climate change. Return to Penguin City will feature the work of scientists Grant Ballard and Viola Toniolo.
Animal Planet’s description of Return to Penguin City:
“Millions of Adelie penguins storm the […]