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That’s a big reputation for a small shrimp-like crustacean to live up to. But they are indeed giants in their ecological significance.
Serving as the primary food source for innumerable marine species, including whales, seals, penguins – especially Adelie and Chinstrap penguins – and fish, they are key in the Antarctic food chain.
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This is quite an introduction from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO):
‘Antarctica is a unique and one of the most perfectly preserved regions on the planet…. see how we work to keep it that way’.
IAATO
Since the first mainland Antarctic landing, thought to be by the sealer Captain John Davis on 7th February 1821 to the first tourist expedition in mid-1900’s there have and always will be, people who want to experience Antarctica. Initially it was the science, pursuit of knowledge and of course geographic claim that were the key reasons for making the treacherous journey to this remote land. With the Artic being more accessible and cheaper to reach, Antarctica escaped mass tourism until the 1900’s then this is what happened…
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Protecting the Waters Around South Georgia – The Marine Protection Area Five Year Review is Underway
I’m currently reading Mensun Bound’s book, The Ship Beneath the Ice – his journal of the search and discovery of Shackleton’s sunken ship Endurance. He talks about Shackleton’s Men having to kill and eat penguins. Twenty-eight men and numerous dogs needed to be fed – with Emperor penguins mainly plus some Adelies. I liked what Bound said next:
‘We might wish to shield our eyes from the horrors of what Shackleton’s men did to those birds a hundred years ago, but what the modern world has visited upon them is infinitely worse. The way in which we have blighted and befouled their environment has disrupted their feeding patterns and breeding cycles to the extent that many of their nesting grounds on the west side of the Peninsula are now ghost rookeries. Were Shackleton alive today I have no doubt he would be a fervent environmentalist.’
It led me to ponder on the balancing act of ensuring the waters around South Georgia can sustain the teeming wildlife in it while fulfilling some of human kind’s seemingly insatiable appetite for fish!
Read moreSmall steps, big impact. A greener Christmas made easy. Sponsor a penguin, make a gift, choose sustainable wrapping, get lots of ideas and read stories that matter: https://bit.ly/3ZOq7Ox #sustainability #sustainableChristmas #SGHT #recycle #climateactionnow
Should this #bumblebee be out and about on 19th December? He loves my Christmas rose/hellebore - kept coming back for more. #NATUREFIRST
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