These well-adapted animals thrive in Antarctica.

The creatures in Antarctica are unlike any other you find on the planet. Antarctica is a continent of extreme conditions, but there are animals, a surprisingly large number of them, that are able to live and thrive in those conditions. Most of the antarctic animal life revolves around the sea in some way. Taking an Antarctic cruise should be on your bucket list to check out this spectacular animal life. Here are the animals you can see in Antarctica.

The Blue whale

The blue whale is reportedly the largest animal. It also happens to the loudest animal. It tends to be around 30 metres long and they weigh almost 200 tonnes. Their calls are said to be louder than a jet engine. Meanwhile, their heart is the size of a small car. This fascinating creature escaped extinction in the 20th Century because of the aggressive whaling practices of the time. If you are lucky, you may spot one of these beauties on an Antarctic cruise.

Elephant seals

The Elephant seal is the biggest of all seals in Antarctica. Male elephant seals can weigh between 1,500 kg to 3,700kg. Meanwhile, females tend to be smaller. Elephant seals can be found throughout the Antarctic region and can sometimes be located in the Falkland Islands. These seals are impressive divers. They have the ability to dive for almost 20 minutes to depths of 500 metres. To see these elephant seals in large numbers, visit the Antarctica during their breeding season.

Emperor penguins

Emperor penguins are almost synonymous with Antarctica as they are most recognisable of all the animals that call Antarctica home. They are also the largest penguins in the world and weigh around 30kg. They have golden feathers around the sides of their heads and live all around the coasts of Antarctica. Emperor penguins primarily live and breed on sea ice. Some don't even step foot on land in their entire life. They are the only penguin species to breed in the depths of Antarctica's harsh winter, which is one of the reasons that make them fascinating.

King penguins

The king penguin is the second-largest penguin species and it weighs approximately 15kg. Their golden feathers around their head and necks make them easily identifiable.  These penguins tend to live on sub-Antarctic islands and form really big colonies on slopes that are close to the sea.