Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth
Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth
At the South Pole, the sun sets, and a night lasting six months begins. But all is not darkness. High above this icy land, the southern lights bloom. Streamers of light pulse and fade, dancing to the pop-crackle-hiss of their own music.
Wind surges in from the faraway coast. For an instant, the storm seems to hold its breath, and in the stillness between frigid blasts a south polar skua lands on the snow. The seabird is off course and exhausted from fighting the gusts. She must keep warm while she waits for calmer skies. Settling down, she draws her head into her chest, tucking bare legs beneath her belly. Her body warms the air that passes over her skin, and she fluffs her feathers, trapping that precious heat in a blanket of her own down. When the storm passes, she’ll wing back home to the open sea.
Despite the harsh and often uninviting climates of the world’s polar regions, many plants and animals thrive there. Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth explores those areas in a unique way. The book begins with a brief introduction as well as an explanation of where the polar regions are and how their location determines the amount of sunlight that they receive at different times of year. Afterwards, it launches into a month-by-month comparison between the Arctic and the Antarctic in a variety of topics. These include the physical and behavioral adaptations of animals, migration, flexible circadian rhythms, polar seasons, feeding the young, protection from predators and the elements, breeding seasons, hibernation, communication and movement. There is also information about the interdependence between animal species (for example, ravens feed on scraps from a wolf pack’s kill) or animals and plants (when some algae are eaten by krill, for instance, they release a scent which birds can detect, thereby drawing the birds to the area to feast on krill). Finally, the effects of pollution and climate change on polar regions are discussed along with a few ideas for social action in order to protect these areas.
Carmichael’s often lyrical text engages the reader and perfectly captures the setting while Eggenschwiler’s illustration style and his use of murky blues, teals and golden-browns not only suit the text but have a nostalgic feel, harkening back to the illustration style of the past. Even the texture of the paper has an “old” feel to it. Maps, diagrams and charts also enhance the text.
A table of contents, a glossary, an index and a very short list of related books for further study are provided.
Though there is nothing really new in Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth, its interesting concept, the juxtaposition of comparative facts within the context of a year-long journey through the polar regions, is unique and makes the book well worthy of purchase.
Gail Hamilton is a former teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, Manitoba.