20 PRESERVE THE EARTH 17 Mike Benny : n Illustratio Earth’s two polar regions are the coldest places on the planet. The Arctic in the north and the Antarctic 2 in0 the south 17experience temperature extremes and seasons during which the sun does not rise. Yet plants and animals make homes in these places. the Antarctic the Arctic the Antarctic the Arctic Maps of the Earth’s two polar regions. Left to right: the Arctic and the Antarctic. In the Arctic, the snowy tundra and forest-filled taiga support myriad species: lumbering musk ox, warm-coated foxes and hares. On the Arctic sea ice, walruses and seals raise their young, and polar bears hunt among the floes. Indigenous round-trip to catch the 1 3 Antarctic summer before 2 communities have 5 returning to its Arctic 4 lived among the 6 breeding grounds. 7 ecosystems of the The seas teem with 8 10 Arctic for centuries. life in both regions. Sim- 9 14 Diverse species ilar species of plankton 13 11 of wildlife inhabit the and fish that feed ringed 12 Antarctic, the Earth’s seals in the Arctic and 15 16 coldest and driest conti- penguins in the nent. Emperor penguins Antarctic also support 17 18 21 huddle together on the productive commercial 19 20 ice, incubating eggs fisheries. in winters that bring These cold places Arctic species: Antarctic species: temperatures as low provide us with food 1 Snowy Owl 2 Southern Giant 3 Arctic Wolf Petrel as negative 48 degrees and natural resources. 4 Atlantic Puffin 12 Adélie Penguin Celsius. They also offer oppor- 6 Caribou 14 Emperor Penguin 7 Musk Ox and chick The tiny Arctic tern tunities for international 8 Arctic Hare 15 Icefish 9 Polar Bear 21 Antarctic Toothfish is the only terrestrial scientific study. 10 Arctic Fox 11 Harp Seal (pup) Species that live in both resident of both polar We all benefit from 13 Walrus the Arctic and Antarctic: 16 Beluga Whale 5 Arctic Tern regions, flying 80,000 their bounty, their 18 Narwhal 17 Krill 19 Arctic Char kilometers every year biodiversity and their 20 Arctic Sea Jellyfish beauty. the biodiversity of polar regions preserve earth the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS Illustration: Mike Benny. Images: Shutterstock.com.