Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/01/2006 - 08:43
Forums
Oden Antarctic Expedition 06

What kinds of animals will you see from the icebreaker?

Fri, 12/01/2006 - 10:01

Anonymous

I bet they will see lots of seals. I have heard that leopard seals are very aggressive. Is that true?

Tue, 12/05/2006 - 12:36

Allan Miller

We'll have researchers from Sea World with us on the expedition and they are preparing to document populations of penguins and other Antarctic birds as well as marine mammals such as leopard and other types of seals.  From reading journals of the early expeditions - I expect we will see a broad variety of birds too - as well as some orcas and maybe even some whales.  Check the forum regularly since I plan to take photographs of as many different types of animals as possible and will post them as I get them. 

Tue, 12/05/2006 - 12:39

Allan Miller

I think that depends on whether they recognize that you are a human or mistake you for something they prey upon.  There is a great National Geographic article from last month about a diver who actually encounters a leopard seal face to face - and they develop a "relationship" - in a way playing together with no apparent aggression on the part of the leopard seal.  I still don't plan to stick any body parts within reach of those teeth however - I've seen what they can do to a penguin!

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 11:59

Brandon Nguyen

   Hi my name is Brandon.
I live in San Jose ca 3314.
I go to Toyon school.
I am 7 yarsold.
 

Tue, 12/19/2006 - 17:26

Susan Anderson…

Mr. Miller, We will be joining the Webinar tomorrow and we want to let you know we've been studying penguins.  We hope you can share some pictures of them when you get to the ice.  Adam would like to know if penguins can climb?  Also we loved your pictures of Mrs. Chippy working out on the ship.  We look forward to talking with all of you tomorrow.

Sun, 12/31/2006 - 20:22

Allan Miller

A special thanks for Mrs. Anderson's class, I enjoyed talking with you from the Oden and just wanted to pass that along. Also a special hello to Brandon Nguyen at Toyon School in San Jose, I've heard that you go to a pretty special NASA Explorer School and hope that you enjoyed not only our special expedition to Antarctica with Sweden but the STS - 116 mission to the ISS that also was a special project carrying Sweden's first astronaut - we followed it from the boat with great pride (it also had Alaska's first astronaut as the pilot - Billy Oefelein!). Happy New Year. Allan