The Emperor penguin's nesting cycle begins in late March or April. Each female stores an egg in her belly skin pouch to keep it warm. Once hatched, one fourth of all emperor penguins die. The Adelie, gentoo, and chinstrap penguin have short bristly tails that act like a third leg. Another common sight in Antarctica are seals.
Seals make holes in the ice which is their only passage to and from land.
They go underwater to escape violent storms. To prevent the holes from freezing over the seals they scrape away at the ice with their teeth. Weddell seals can dive up to seven hundred and fifty meters in search of food. In October female Weddell seals go out on the sea ice for birth. One week after the pups are born they are ready to swim.