Antarctic fur seal pup (Arctocephalus gazella) on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Antarctic fur seal pup (Arctocephalus gazella) near the abandoned whaling station at Stromness Bay on South Georgia, Polar Regions

Antarctic fur seal pups (Arctocephalus gazella) playing in Fortuna Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) with skua at breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) with introduced reindeer at breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) swimming near the beach at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) swimming near the beach at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) porpoising for speed while traveling to their breeding colony on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult and chick at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adult Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), on lichen-covered rocks in Hercules Bay on South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Northern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes moseleyi) covered in spilled oil from the wreck of the MS Oliva, Nightingale island, Tristan da Cunha Group, South Atlantic Ocean

Leucistic caused by lack of melanin, or blond Antarctic fur seal pup (Arctocephalus gazella) on South Georgia, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) detail at breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) on the beach at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Bloody king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Sunrise on king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) swimming near the beach at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) on the beach at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) on the beach at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) entering the sea from the beach at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus) in flight against the sun near South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) on the beach with king penguins and Antarctic fur seal pups at Stromness, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Views of the abandoned whaling station in Stromness Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli) threat display on the beach at Stromness, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), nesting on lichen covered rocks on Half Moon Island in Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

An adult polar bear (Ursus maritimus) leaping from ice floe to ice floe in the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, Arctic, Europe

Adult gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), returning and coming from the sea at Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult South Georgia Pipit (Anthus antarcticus) feeding at low tide on Prion Island, Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult feeding chick at breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) on the beach at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult and chick at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult and chick at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adult wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) at nest site on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Views of the glaciers and mountains of Drygalski Fjord on the southeast side of South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

A small group of introduced reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) before eradication in Stromness Bay, South Georgia, Polar Regions

A rare melanistic king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), feeding its okum boy chick at Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

A small group of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) near the abandoned whaling station in Stromness Bay, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adult black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) in combat with a second kittiwake near Alexander Island, Franz Josef Land, Russia, Arctic Ocean, Eurasia

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) chicks (okum boys) at nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Bull southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) issuing a bellowing challenge at Gold Harbour on South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) bull holding adult female in the surf to mate with her, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), returning and coming from the sea at Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii), hauled out on ice at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), feeding chicks at Brown Bluff near the Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Antarctic tern (Sterna vittata), on the wreck of the Guvernoren in the Enterprise Islands, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) challenger bull in the surf at Gold Harbour on South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) bull holding adult female in the surf to mate with her, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Icebergs near the Antarctic Peninsula during the summer months, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Aerial of Potter glacier, Tierra del Fuego, Chile, South America

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), at breeding colony at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), at breeding colony at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adult king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) returning to sea from the nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

A rare adult melanistic king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), returning from feeding at sea tin Fortuna Bay, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) scrambling up steep cliffs at Hercules Bay on South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Adult bull southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) attempting to cool off by flinging sand on his back, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Young adult bull southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) close up while swimming in glacier run off, South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) bull holding adult female in the surf to mate with her, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) weaner pup head detail on the beach at Gold Harbour on South Georgia, Polar Regions

Mother southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) nursing young pup at breeding site at Peggotty Bluff, South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Adult bull southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) mating in the surf at Gold Harbour on South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Views of the cemetery at the abandoned whaling station in Stromness Bay on South Georgia in the Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), at breeding colony at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Sunrise on king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at nesting and breeding colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), hauled out for their annual catastrophic molt (moult) on the beach at Snow Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Southern elephant seal. Mirounga leonina. Gentoo penguin (pygoscelis papua papua) pecks seal. South shetlands

Macaroni penguins. Eudyptes chrysolophus. Hannah point, livingston island, antarctica

Minke whale. Balaenoptera acutorostrata. Minke whale in brash ice, danko bay, antarctica

Wandering albatross. Diomedea exulans. On nest, albatross island, south georgia diomedea exulans

King penguin. Aptenodytes patagonica. South georgia, antarctica

Gentoo penguins. Pygoscelis papua. Walking on the beach, falklands

Gentoo penguin. Pygoscelis papua. Royal bay, south georgia, antarctica

Transport, antarctica. Drake s passage. Ship in hurricane

Icebergs, antarctica. Paradise bay

King penguin. Aptenodytes patagonica. On shore-line, salisbury plain. South georgia, antarctica

Gentoo penguin. Pygoscelis papua. Chick. Wiencke island. Antarctica

Cape petrels. Daption capense. South georgia. Antarctica

Chinstrap penguin. Pygoscelis antarctica. In rocky colony. Antarctica

Iceberg, antarctica. Iceberg alley, penola strait

Antarctic fur seal. Arctocephalus gazella. In tussock grass, south georgia

Tourism, antarctica. Deception island. Tourist ship anchored

Signpost, antarctica. King george island. Russian research centre

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) chick head detail at colony on Useful Island near the Antarctic Peninsula. There are an estimated 2 million breeding pairs of chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic peninsula region alone, perhaps as many as 7.5 million breeding pairs in all of Antarctica. Their name derives from the narrow black band under their heads which makes it appear as if they are wearing black helmets, making them one of the most easily identified types of penguin. Other names for them are "Ringed Penguins", "Bearded Penguins", and "Stonecracker Penguins" due to their harsh call. They grow to 68 cm (27 in). The average adult weight of a Chinstrap Penguin is 4.5 kg (10 lbs). Weight can range from 3 to 6 kg (6.6-13.2 lbs), with males being slightly larger and weight varying based on where the penguin is in the breeding cycle. Their diet consists of krill, shrimp, and fish. On land they build circular nests from stones, and lay two eggs, which are incubated by both the male and the female for shifts of five to ten days. They can also breed on icebergs, though they prefer non-icy conditions. The chicks hatch after about 35 days, and have fluffy gray backs and white fronts. The chicks stay in the nest for 20?30 days before they go to join a creche. At around 50?60 days old, they moult, gaining their adult plumage and go to sea. The Chinstrap Penguin was first described by German naturalist Forster in 1781. Its specific epithet was often seen as antarctica, however a 2002 review determined the genus Pygoscelis was masculine, and hence the correct binomial name is Pygoscelis antarcticus.

Early morning scenery of the Antarctic Peninsula Region. Lemaire Channel, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica.

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) colony in a snowstorm on Half Moon Island near Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands near the Antarctic Peninsula. There are an estimated 2 million plus breeding pairs of chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic peninsula region alone, perhaps as many as 7.5 million breeding pairs in all of Antarctica.

Tourists in an inflatable boat, Neko Harbor, Gerlache strait, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Telephone Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Icebreaker Capt. Khlebnikov steering through pack ice off the coast of Franklin Island, Antarctica

Helicopter flying above sea ice, Antarctica

Neko Harbor, Gerlache strait, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Map on the wall of the ice breaker Kapitan Khlebnikov, Antartica

Helicopter landing on the Capt. Khlebnikov icebreaker after a flight over the icebergs off the coast of Franklin Island, Antarctica

Helicopter landing on Capt. Khlebnikov (icebreaker) after a flight over the icebergs off of Franklin Island, Antarctica

Tourists on cruise ship in Paradise Bay, Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Canada Glacier in Taylor Valley, Dry Valleys, Antarctica