Wildlife

The Antarctic and sub-Antarctic are home to an incredible array of wildlife.

Whales

Blue whales worldwide produce sounds that are extremely low frequency. Some of the sounds are below the frequency range of human hearing. These sounds can be played back 2–8 times faster than normal to shift the pitch of the sound into a range that is audible for humans.

Antarctic blue whale D-calls
Blue whale D-calls recorded from a sonobuoy deployed near Antarctic blue whales in the northern Ross Sea.
Credit: Brian Miller

Antarctic blue whale FM-calls
Blue whale AM/FM-calls recorded from a sonobuoy deployed near Antarctic blue whales in the northern Ross Sea during 2015.
Credit: Brian Miller

Antarctic blue whale Z-calls
Recorded on an Antarctic Division moored acoustic recorder along the resupply route to Casey Station in 2014. The sound is sped-up 8× to raise the pitch and make it audible to humans.
Credit: Brian Miller

Pygmy blue whale song
The song of the pygmy blue whale (sped up 4× to raise the pitch to be audible to humans). You may need to use headphones to hear this.

Minke whale
Audio believed to be from Antarctic minke whales. They were recorded in 2014 by the Antarctic Division’s moored acoustic recorder at a long-term recording site along the Mawson resupply route.

Seals

Seals use a variety of calls underwater during the breeding season, and these are accompanied by the sound of sea ice breaking and cracking. They also make noises above ground, such as breathing and yawning.

Elephant seal claiming its territory
An elephant seal demands others to stay away from its territory.

Weddell seal breathing
This seal is holding its nostrils just above the water and taking some breaths.

Weddell seal underwater call 1
This call is a long high whistle, falling in tone.

Weddell seal underwater call 2
This call consists of repeated chirps.

Weddell seal underwater call 3
This call is a single, slowly descending tone.

Weddell seal underwater call 4
This call consists of a series of descending chirps.

Weddell seal yawning
This seal has a nice big yawn while resting on the ice.

Leopard seal trills and whistles
A collection of leapord seal trills and whistles.
Credit: Brian Miller

Penguins

Among the wide variety of penguin species are some quite different calls.

Adélie penguins squabbling
A couple of Adélie penguins have a squabble on Béchervaise Island.

Emperor penguin adults and chicks
The chicks’ calls are short and high pitched, and the adults’ calls are longer and deeper.

Emperor penguin sneezing
Yes, penguins can sneeze!

Flying birds

Penguins aren’t the only birds in Antarctica.

Black-browed albatross
A pair of black-browed albatross followed by group calls.
Credit: Graham Robertson

Transport

A variety of aircraft, vehicles and vessels are used for Antarctic operations.

Aviation

A319 aircraft idling on the runway
The A319 aircraft idles on the runway at Hobart, prior to departure to Casey.

Basler aircraft taxiing and taking off
Basler aircraft are used for general operations within Antarctica.

Helicopter taking off
Helicopters are used for many purposes within Antarctica, including station resupply and science support.

Twin Otter aircraft taking off
Twin Otter aircraft are used for general operations within Antarctica.

Ground vehicles

Hägglunds driving by
Hägglunds are used to support field activities both close to station and thousands of kilometres away.

Watercraft

RSV Nuyina horn
RSV Nuyina’s horn bellowing 3 times across the ocean.

Ship’s anchor being raised
Aurora Australis’ anchor chain breaking through the ice; then the anchor emerges and clashes against the side of the ship.
Credit: Warwick Barnes
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