Animals of the Ice

Watch animals of the ice run, swim, slide, waddle, and fly. Polar bears, penguins, seals, fish, krill and birds, all live on or under the ice. How they survive in the harsh extremes of the polar regions is amazing. Today, because of a warming planet, their lives are changing and for many species, life is getting harder as the ice retreats and food becomes difficult to find. Sea ice isn’t only important to the animals, it’s also a regulator of weather and can protect people who live on the coasts from erosion. Melting polar ice can also contribute to sea level rise, so it’s important that we get the science right. NOAA scientists are using satellites, ships and on-site measuring tools to track the extent of the sea ice. They want to understand how fast it’s melting and what to expect in the future.

Dive in with the NOAA Ocean Today Every Full Moon series to find out what we can learn about animals on the ice.