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Where the Polar Bears Roam
Going to the Arctic without clapping eyes on a wild polar bear can be reasonably compared to visiting Africa without seeing a giraffe or a zebra or, most analogously, a lion.
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The disastrous expedition in the Arctic west
In 1902, Otto Sverdrup, captain of the Fram on Nansen’s expedition, led his own Arctic expedition to the north of Canada. Over the period of the expedition, which started in 1898, Sverdrup and his 15-man crew charted over 250,000 square kilometres of the Arctic using the Fram and sledges. During the expedition Ellesmere Island’s west coast was explored and new islands discovered.
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Arctic Seals
Owing to the large landmasses that populate the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic boasts the most diverse wildlife among the planet’s polar regions. Some of the most captivating Arctic animals are the marine mammals found just offshore.
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Albatross, penguin and krill research in Antarctica
In the Antarctic region, extensive research is being conducted by national Antarctic programmes from countries like the UK, Australia, and Japan. These studies aim to understand species in the air, on the ground, and in the sea, and how these species are interconnected without variables such as human impacts and climate change.
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Camping in Antarctica: a True Expedition Experience
We often think of camping as a summer activity, filled with warm nights, campfire dinners, and serene mountain lakes. However, there's a whole other world of camping to explore.
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Secrets of the Snowy Owl: Habitat, Adaptations, and Other Facts
The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), also known as the great white owl or Arctic owl, is one of the most distinctive bird species on the planet. While you won’t find them in all areas of the Arctic – they don’t exist in Svalbard due to the lack of lemmings – snowy owls are seen in the polar regions of Eurasia and North America and are a potential visitor during Greenland cruises. The binomial species name, “scandiacus,” is derived from Scandinavia, as this is where the bird was first discovered. The snowy owl is the official bird of Quebec, and they are a must-see for countless bird watchers and naturalists.
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9 Facts about the Greenland Shark
The Greenland shark, or Somniosus microcephalus, is one of many fish that inhabit the waters around Greenland, though this is not the only area in which the shark resides. These sharks, sometimes referred to as “gray sharks” or “gurry sharks,” can also be found in the north Atlantic Ocean near Iceland, Norway, and Canada.
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Greenland's History: When Vikings Ruled the Ice Age
A Greenland cruise offers a journey into a rich history filled with intriguing details that captivate polar expedition enthusiasts. Among the most fascinating historical aspects is the fact that Vikings once ruled this land. Anthropologists and climate scientists have long studied Greenland to pinpoint when and why the Vikings left. Recent findings have shed new light on this historical culture.
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Six Seal Species You Might See On Your Greenland Cruise
If you spot a grand old whiskered man lounging in solitary splendor, there's a good chance you're looking at a bearded seal. Your Greenland cruise will take you to bays where these solitary fellows (except during breeding season) hunt for fish in the relatively shallow waters near the shores.
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Puffins: Clown Birds of the Atlantic
Puffins are part of a family of 22 seabird species known as auks, which are pigeon-sized birds that thrive on a diet of small fish and crustaceans.
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Birds of the South: 33 Antarctic Birds and Seabirds
Of the many compelling reasons people travel to Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic, bird life is among the most beloved.
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The Overlooked Treasures of Ascension Island
If you know anything about Ascension Island, which is unlikely, it probably has to do with the green turtle breeding population that exists there.
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Path of Polar Heroes: Hiking Shackleton’s Historic Route
“We had seen God in his splendors, heard the text that Nature renders.” ~Ernest Shackleton
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Polar bear encounter in Spitsbergen
I watch the sea ice from the bridge of a ship in one of the fjords of Spitsbergen, an archipelago north of Norway. I observe a perfectly adapted animal moving on the ice, the results of hundreds of thousands of years of ecological fine-tuning. Snowshoe-sized paws distribute weight, fur handles the cold and sunlight to perfection, and an incredible sense of smell samples this monochromatic realm.
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Arctic Foxes: Constant Gardeners of the Arctic
Given how widespread their habitat is, it is little wonder that Arctic foxes are one of the animals we most often see during our Greenland and Svalbard expeditions. The Arctic fox is a circumpolar species whose feeding grounds include North America, Eurasia, even Iceland, ranging from nearly the North Pole all the way down to the sub-Arctic islands.
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The Research Stations of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic
Numerous research stations operate throughout the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic, engaged in all manner of scientific inquiry. This article will cover the stations under the management of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which conducts year-round terrestrial and atmospheric research in some of the most compelling polar locations on Earth.
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Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast Greenland National Park is the world’s largest national park and the ninth largest protected area on Earth. It should come as little surprise, then, that it’s also bigger than most countries, covering an impressive 972,000 square km (375,300 square miles).
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Three Antarctica Cruise Deals
For many travelers, Antarctica represents the ultimate polar destination. Its vast white landscapes offer an endless array of surreal vistas, much of its unique wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth, and its complete lack of an indigenous human population provides a sense of untouched seclusion that few other places can match.
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Hondius Photography and Video Workshops
There’s no shortage of great things to say about a Hondius expedition cruise, but among the best are the free video and photography workshops offered during some of this ship’s voyages. These informative, interactive, highly useful supplements allow you to not only capture your memories in the best way possible but also make your friends back home maddeningly jealous.
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Guidelines for visitors to Antarctica
Activities in the Antarctic are governed by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and associated agreements, collectively known as the Antarctic Treaty System. The Treaty established Antarctica as a zone dedicated to peace and science. In 1991, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties adopted the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, designating the Antarctic as a natural reserve.