Emperor Penguins are shown huddling together to keep warm through the winter, as the only species that remains in Antarctic on the ice throughout the winter.  The Weddell Seals are also briefly shown as the only mammals that winter in Antarctica.  They remain mostly underwater and work to keep breathing holes open.

The underwater sea life that remain in Antarctica year round are also featured.  Some of the fish have a type of antifreeze to keep them from freezing.  Some of the sea life like sponges are thousands of years old.  These species are often shielded from the extremes above, but the winter extremes do sometimes affect them in the form of brinicles.  These are ice stalactites that form quite quickly and the sea life cannot always more away fast enough to escape the brinicles, which are nicknamed fingers of death.

The Weddell Seals are again briefly featured near the end of the episode.  The different sounds they make are played and the seals are shown fighting over breathing holes.

Winter is shown ending with the arrival of the sun in the Antarctic and the female Emperor Penguins returning.  Chicks are transferred to their mothers’ care, so the males can go feed in the ocean.  Some of the chicks do not make it and the returning mothers are shown trying to kidnap chicks that wander away from their mothers.

The first mention of Antarctic animals in this episode is the Antarctic fur seals breeding on the South Georgia Islands.  The Antarctic fur seals give birth and within a week mate again.  There is footage of bulls (males) fighting for control of a harem (group of female seals).

The King Penguins of South Georgia are featured next.  Cooling off in the summer heat of 60 degrees is discussed.  The penguins cool off by lying down to let the breeze cool their feet.  They also show elephant seals covering themselves in black sand to cool them off and use as a sun screen.  To avoid overheating the penguin chicks cool off in shallow water and mud.

Near the end of the episode, fall arriving in Antarctica is discussed starting with how the ice begins to increase surrounding the continent.  Emperor Penguins are then featured.  The penguins are shown taboggoning to reach their colony inland.  The females pass the eggs to the males before heading back to the sea.  The males huddle together through the winter.

The “Spring” episode also features King Penguins and Southern Elephant Seals in the South Georgia Islands.  It includes showing the bull seals fighting for role as “beachmaster.”

The end of the episode comes back around to Antarctic and the Adelie Penguins.  This part features the Adelie Penguins finding mates and female penguins going fishing while the males incubate the eggs.  The Adelies are scared out of the water when Orca whales arrive.

Other Frozen Planet Episodes:

• “The Ends of the Earth”

The Gentoo penguins are discussed and featured in this episode with discussion on bodysurfing.  There is also discussion of penguins in general with the Gentoo penguin footage.

The Southern Sea Lion is introduced to the narrative as it threatens the penguins ability to go fishing and the sea lion struggles to catch the penguins in the water.  The footage includes the sea lion chasing a Gentoo penguin on land.

The next animals shown in the episode are whales.  The whales featured include Minke, Southern Humpback whales, and Orcas.  The orcas (i.e. killer whales) are shown hunting seals (crab eater and Weddell) including the whales working together to make waves to crack the icebergs the seals are on and knock the seals off the ice.

After the killer whale footage, there is footage of the continent including discussion of its isolation and lack of mammals and reptiles.  It briefly mentions the two plants native to the continent before going on to discuss giant sea animals such as jellyfish.  Mount Erebus, a volcano in Antarctica, and the arrival of humans and early explorers like Amundsen and Scott are also mentioned.

Other Frozen Planet Episodes:

• “Spring”

Frozen Planet features footage from both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions.  The series focuses on the different seasons at both ends of the world as well as other natural history topics such as climate change.

The BBC Version of Frozen Planet is narrated by David Attenborough and the US version is mostly narrated by Alec Baldwin, although the seventh episode retains its narration by David Attenborough due to the controversy of it originally not being planned to air on the Discovery Channel.

Episodes of Frozen Planet

1. “To the Ends of the Earth” – premiered in UK on October 26, 2011 and in the US on March 18, 2012
2. “Spring” – premiered in UK on November 2, 2012 and in the US on March 18, 2012
3. “Summer” – premiered in UK on November 9, 2012 and in the US on March 25, 2012
4. “Autumn” – premiered in UK on November 16, 2012
5. “Winter” – premiered in UK on November 23, 2012 and in the US on April 1, 2012
6. “The Last Frontier” – premiered in UK on November 30, 2012
7. “On Thin Ice” – premiered in UK on December 7, 2012 and in the US on April 15, 2012
8. “The Epic Journey” – premiered in UK on December 28, 2012

Chinstrap and Adelie Penguins in Antarctica

While all 17 species of penguins are only native to the Southern Hemisphere, only 7 species are native to the Antarctic.  Of these species the Adelie has the widest range appearing on much of the Antarctic coast.  The Emperor penguin also is native to many parts of the Antarctic coast.

Both the Chinstrap and Gentoo penguin species are found on the Antarctic Peninsula and some sub-Antarctic islands.  The Chinstrap is also found on part of the Antarctic coast on the non-peninsula side of the Weddell Sea.  The Gentoo is present on more sub-Antarctic islands than the Chinstrap.

The Macaroni penguin is mostly found on sub-Antarctic islands, but is also native to the northernmost Antarctic peninsula region and southern coasts in South America.  The Rockhopper penguins have similar distribution being found on many sub-Antarctic islands and southern coasts of South America.  They are not native to the Antarctic peninsula region.

Penguins in Antarctica

• Adelie Penguin
• Chinstrap Penguin
• Emperor Penguin
• Gentoo Penguin
• King Penguin
• Macaroni Penguin
• Rockhopper Penguin

Related Links:

• Distribution Map of Penguins

Felicity Aston’s journey across Antarctica began on November 25, 2012 from Leverett Glacier with her pulling two sledges.  By the time her journey ended on January 23, 2012 at the Hercules Inlet, she had skied 1,744 kilometers in 59 days.  Her only assistance was prearranged drops of supplies at the South Pole and on the way between the pole and Hercules Inlet.  The supply drops allowed her to have to pull less.

Related Articles:

• First woman to cross Antarctica solo sets two records (The Globe and Mail, January 23, 2012)

The 7 injured survivors were transferred to the Nataniel Palmer when it arrived to the area on January 11, 2012.  The Nathaniel Palmer is a research vessel equipped with medical facilities.  The injured were taken to the American McMurdo Base to be airlifted to New Zealand.  Weather delayed the airlift slightly, but on January 13, 2012 the injured were successfully airlifted to Christchurch, New Zealand to receive medical care.  Of the injured, 3 were labelled in serious condition and admitted to Christchurch Hospital.  On January 23, 2012, one of the 3 was reported as released from the hospital while the other 2 are considered in stable condition.

Initially the Jung Woo 2 remained afloat, but it did eventually sink and a search for the 3 missing presumed dead on board continued.

Related Articles:

• Antarctic Fish Boat Fire: 3 Dead, 37 Rescued (January 10, 2012)
• Injured fishermen land in Christchurch (January 13, 2012)
• Rescued fisher released from Chch hospital (January 23, 2012)

Related Articles:

• Wild Antarctica Begins Production (January 4, 2012)