Polar regions, found at the planet's northern and southern extremes, are the icy wastes of the continental ice caps and the frozen pack ice of the ocean. The only 'plants' here are specialised forms of cold-loving algae that grow on the surface of snow. Only animals that don't rely on vegetation - such as penguins, seals and polar bears - are able to live here.
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Antarctic freeze
Elapsed time and satellite imagery show the Antarctic doubling in size.
Antarctic nunataks
The polar oases that are home to the most southerly bird colonies on the planet.
Life In The Freezer: The Big Freeze
During the Antarctic winter conditions are so extreme that most animals desert the region.
Planet Earth: Ice Worlds
David Attenborough examines the frozen worlds of the Arctic and Antarctic.
Glacier on the move
Watch amazing footage of a Svalbard glacier as it slowly makes its way towards the sea.
Earth's polar regions are the areas of the globe surrounding the poles also known as frigid zones. The North Pole and South Pole being the centers, these regions are dominated by the polar ice caps, resting respectively on the Arctic Ocean and the continent of Antarctica. Polar sea ice is currently diminishing, possibly as a result of anthropogenic global warming.
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