Please note that final assignment is subject to the student qualifying for FWS Placement. If a student is allowed to work without having a FWS Referral Form signed by all parties and on file in this office, your department will be responsible for compensating the student.
Antarctica is considered a desert, with annual precipitation of only 200 mm (8 inches) along the coast and far less inland. Only cold-adapted organisms survive there, including many types of algae, animals (for example mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades), bacteria, fungi, plants, and protista.
Six species of baleen whales are found in Antarctica, including the huge blue whale which is the largest animal that has ever lived. It grows up to 24 metres and can weigh 84 tonnes. Other baleen species are the fin, southern right whale, sei, minke and humpback. Four species of toothed whales are found in Antarctica. Except for the sperm whale, they are much smaller than the baleen whales and weren't widely hunted. The other species are the southern bottlenose whale, the orca whale and the southern fourtooth whale.