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5/6C During term 1, Stage 3 students have been learning about Antarctica. They have built 3D models of Antarctica and written Information Reports about a chosen animal. Here is a sample.
The Southern Elephant Seal The Southern Elephant Seal, scientific name Mirounga leonina, is located on the rocky shores of Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic Islands. It is a mammal and is the largest of the piniped family. "Piniped" is the family name for seals, "Pini" meaning flipper and "ped" meaning feet. Elephant Seals have silvery skin, a stout head, a trunk-like nose and flippers. After they moult their fur is dark-grey but it continues to fade throughout the year until it is a rusty-greyish brown. Adult males can weigh up to three thousand kilograms (3 tons), but the females only weigh up to around three hundred kg, however their weight can increase to about nine hundred kg prior to birth. The Southern Elephant Seals most unique feature, their inflatable trunk-like proboscis, is thought to make the males roar more coarse and deeper in pitch. The Elephant Seals diet mainly consists of squid and fish. They usually stay close to their food source and hunt during the day. Southern Elephant Seals tend to live on and around the Sub-Antarctic Islands. There are four main stock groups, these include South Georgia, Peninsula Valdez, Iles Kerguelen (including Heard Island) and Macquarie Island. These seals stay in their stock groups unless they go hunting for food. The Southern Elephant Seal has adapted very well to the harsh weather of Antarctica. It has a thick layer of blubber that protects it from the freezing weather and water. It can also use its blubber to store food when there is little. Southern Elephant Seals breed on Sub-Antarctic Island. The way Elephant Seals breed is very organised. They have colony groups called harems. Harems are ruled by the dominant bull. Each bull will have a group of cows to breed with. Harems range from ten to around to around about thirty cows, but one dominant cancan handle up to fifty cows. Once a harem is too much for one dominant to handle one dominant male he will allow another bull to help him. However dominants are not very happy to have other males around their harems. Males tend to challenge other bulls for their harems. Fights can go on for up to fifteen minutes. Sometimes they can lead to death but they usually know when to pull out of a fight. Southern Elephant Seals don't really have any predators. Being extremely heavy in weight and having razor sharp teeth they are left alone. The only time they have to use their teeth is when hunting for food or during a challenge from fellow Sea Elephants. The Southern Elephant Seal can dive constantly reaching depths of up to one thousand five hundred metres with breaks of only two minutes. They can stay under water for up to two hours. The Southern Elephant seal is a truly fascinating animal. They are extremely unique in every way. Although they are not officially an endangered species they're in need of protection and their numbers are dropping. The Southern Elephant Seal is an incredible species, let's try and keep them around for future generations to enjoy. by Georgia (Year 6)
The Rock hopper Penguin The Rock hopper Penguin is an aggressive penguin. It's scientific name is Eudyptescrestatus. It belongs to a group of penguins called The Crested Penguins. The Rock hopper Penguin got it's name because it jumps from rock to rock. The Rock hopper Penguin has a large head, a short thick neck, stream lined shape body, a short wedged tail and tiny flipper like wings. It has a droopy, feathery crest which is black and yellow, it has a bright orange and red bill and bright red eyes. The Rock hopper Penguin is 55 cm tall and weighs 2 -3 kg. The male is slightly larger than the female but they look very similar. The Rock hopper Penguin is a carnivore it catches it's prey in the ocean. It eats crustaceans, krill, small fish and squid. To quench it's thirst, it drinks salt water. The Rock hopper Penguin lives on the Sub Antarctic Islands and has major colonies on the Falkland Islands. They are also found on Islands near the Antarctic Polar front and those near the Subtropical convergence in the South Antarctic, Indian Ocean and Falkland Islands. They live in high grasses called Tussocks, where they burrow and nest. The Rock hopper Penguin breeds from October to April (warmest time in the Southern Hemisphere). To attract a mate the male shakes his head which causes their yellow eyebrows to fly into a "halo". There are usually over three million breeding pairs. They make a nest by scraping a hole in the ground and lining it with dried grass. The female lays two eggs but only one survives. The first one is larger than the second which is eaten by predators. Male and female both guard the egg and keep it warm for 32 to 34 days. When the chicks are four weeks old they huddle with other chicks, these groups are called "Crèches". They do this for warmth and protection. The chicks molt and leave for the open sea at 65 to 72 days old. The Rock hopper Penguin has many predators such as Blue sharks, Leopard seals and Fur seals. The predators of the eggs and chicks are petrels, Skuas an Dominican gulls. To protect themselves they have sharp beaks which can defend themselves and their nests. The Rock hopper Penguin is oily which helps it stay waterproof. Underneath it's feathers is a layer of thick penguin fat which helps it stay warm. It also keeps warm by reducing blood circulation to it's feet. The Rock hopper Penguin is a fascinating creature. It has a life span of over ten years, it used to be hunted for it's oil but now it is protected. by Kyra (Year 5)
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