ANTARCTICA'S VULTURES
It is mid-March, the best and only time of year (due to less ice) to sail through Antarctica Sound, the stretch of water that separates the very tip of the Antarctic Peninsula – the pristine nature and clarity of views makes for a breath-taking experience. Also noticeable is the shift from a milder polar ‘maritime’ climate in the west to a distinctly cold, dry, polar ‘continental’ climate to the east as you enter a part of the Weddell Sea called Terror Gulf!
However, the ice sheet precisely in this area is considered to be particularly sensitive to climate change as records show it to be one of the most rapidly warming places in the world – evidencedby the collapse of many ice shelves, increased ice velocities, and the retreat and thinning of glaciers and ice caps!
Back to the expedition, there was a marked absence of seabirds to be seen as we navigated the sound eastwards towards Terror Gulf. It was not surprising, given what we were shortly about to see…
Like vultures groveling on the remains of dead elephant corpse on the vast open plains of the Serengeti, a large unexpected group of giant petrels were seen in the distance between the drifting ice pack (an extinct volcano of Rosamel Island is behind), clearly feasting and fighting on something – on closer inspection, all was revealed – it was the carcass of a quite smelly and bloated humpback whale that died probably some 5-7 days ago! The dead humpback was reported to be a young male about 15m long and seen lying on its side with the long distinctive pectoral fin exposed. Also visible is the special stretchy tissue attached to the jaw called ‘ventral groove blubber’ that allows the mouth to expand to incredible sizewhen the whale feeds – it all seemed tasty for the petrels as well! Among the giant petrels are their much smaller cousins – Wilson’s storm petrels – delicate and dainty little birds that flutter and seemingly walk on water as they feed on the small scraps left by the bigger birds.
A separate group of petrels were noticed a little distant from the corpse cleaning themselves from frenzy of feeding before taking rest to digest the meal in the mid-afternoon sun! As for the corpse, it will continue to be a huge source of sustenance for wildlife as it fragments and decomposes over time.There were no obvious signs for the whale’s death – but possible causes are many, such as an abortive orca attack, disease, poison, vessel strike, entanglement with fishing gear or throughcomplications caused by the intake of plastic into the digestive system – difficult to say.
On a super high note, when leaving Terror Gulf back through the Antarctica Sound late in the day, the setting sun provided a myriad of colors with hues never witnessed before that climaxed with orcas, humpbacks and a rising full moon!
