Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 13:08
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Oden Antarctic Expedition 08

Wow!  My class and I at MRE love the videos you have been posting.  (I think we watched the penguin video four times!!!  The kids couldn't get enough of it!  The webinar was very interesting, however, we didn't get a great deal of information on the seals and penguins.  We are currently studying animal adaptations...more specifically behavioural adaptations.  Could you describe the reactions of the animals you have encountered.  I know that you said they are curious about you.  Do the seals respond in any way to your testing?  Thanks!!

My students are concerned about how you will fair over Christmas next week.  We sent with you an envelope to open on Christmas.  I don't know if you had room for it in your limited luggage space.   

One more question...if you could name one thing that has surprised you most...one thing you didn't expect when you were planning this trip...what would it be?

                                                                 Sarah Angotti at Morgan Rd.

Sun, 12/21/2008 - 12:46

Jeff Peneston

Mrs. Angotti,
I am so glad that your students enjoy my journal and the videos!I think the seal research video shows lots of great things about Antarctic seals.  
Two Antarctic animal adaptations that strike me the most are the way the seals and penguins use blubber to keep warm and the way they use the sea ice to find safety.  Both of these things are very different than what animals back home do.  Many animals back home grow thick fur and some hide in underground dens to put a distance between their warm bodies and the cold air outside.  Our birds and mammals try to stay away from water to conserve heat.  Here, the fur and feathers on the seals and penguins plays a minor role in keeping them warm.  Instead, they convert much of their food into a layer of blubber under the skin.  The blood flow in the blubber can be reduced so that the blubber layer is allowed to cool and this reduces the transfer of heat out of the body of the seal or penguin.  They also reduce the blood flow and temperature in their feet so that these exposed parts do not act like radiators that cool their body core.  Both seals and penguins spend a great deal of time up on the sea ice where snow can actually freeze on the cool outer layer of fur or feathers.  This cold is not transferred to the inner body because of slowed blood flow in the blubber layer.  And, when the air gets to far below zero, the animals just slide back into the liquid sea where it is always just above freezing.  The icy water can make them warmer!
The other adaptation that is very obvious is that both the seals and the penguins have learned that their only predators (orcas & leopard seals) are in the sea, and they are completely safe when they are up on the snow covered sea ice.  I have never seen wild animals that do not flee when they see people.  In fact, it is clear that when they are nervous (such as when the ship pushes into their ice floe), they avoid going into the water and stay on their ice floe for safety.  On several occasions, we did not see any Adelie penguins until after the ship had tied up to a floe and people were on the ice.  Then the penguins would swim over to our floe, come aboard and walk over to us to check us out.  
The seals to not react too much to the people until after they are in the net and then they clearly want out.  The seals also fuss and move when the scientists draw blood with a needle or take the little skin samples.  Their reaction reminds me a little bit of a how a kid reacts to getting a vaccination at the doctor’s office.  Once they are released, the seals often only go a few meters away and then lay down on the ice to sleep or watch the scientists work with the next seal.
Regarding Christmas, I have your envelope with me and I promise not to open it until Christmas.  The Swedish tradition is to have a party and gift exchange on Christmas Eve.  But, I since I have no presents to open on Christmas morning, which is my family’s tradition, I will save your gift until then!
Surprises?  I think the abundance and fearless behaviors of the seals and penguins has surprised me most.  I had read about this but I am still in awe of it.  Yesterday, I could see 13 seals and 2 penguins at the same time from the bridge of the Oden.  Back home, we know that there are large animals in the forest like deer, turkeys, foxes, etc. but I would never expect them to be constantly visible.  Wherever we are, it is rare to be unable to see either penguins or seals from the bridge.  Two days ago I saw at least a dozen Minke whales in one hour as we cruised across some open water.
Another surprise is how much I miss my snowshoes from home.  Every day I need to walk out onto the sea ice and the snow is often 1 meter deep and when you break through the snow crust and plunge 2-3 feet into the snow every few steps, you really wish you had snowshoes.  Next time I will bring them!
I hope everyone in your class has a great holiday.  Remember to keep reading my journals over the break.  There are new videos coming!
Take care, and have fun,
Jeff Peneston