Arctic Tern Chick vs Polar Bear | Seasonal Wonderlands | BBC Earth

BBC Earth

22 Mar 202404:10

Summary

TLDRIn late July, the Arctic welcomes the end of Svalbard's summer as the Arctic terns complete the longest animal migration from Antarctica, a 30,000 km journey. Their chicks, hatched just weeks prior, must prepare for the return flight in 21 days. The rich waters of Svalbard provide ample energy, but the chicks' vulnerability on land attracts the Arctic's largest predator, the polar bear, now forced ashore by retreating ice. The terns' fierce defense against the starving bear, despite their size, highlights the resilience of these smallest birds in the face of the Arctic's harshest season.

Takeaways

🌏 The Arctic tern undertakes the longest migration of any animal, traveling over 30,000 kilometers from Antarctica to the Arctic.
🕊️ The tern's chicks hatch just in time for the short summer season in the Arctic, with only 21 days to grow and prepare for their return journey.
🕒 The tern parents must feed their chicks continuously, as the chicks need to gain enough strength to complete the 30,000 km flight back to Antarctica within three weeks.
🐟 The abundance of rich waters in the Arctic provides the necessary energy for the terns, which they transport from the ocean to their chicks.
🏠 The terns nest on the ground, making their chicks vulnerable to predators, especially when the parents are away fishing.
🐻 The retreating sea ice forces polar bears onto land, increasing the risk for ground-nesting birds like the terns.
🦅 The Arctic terns are highly aggressive and fearless, capable of driving away larger predators like polar bears, even though they are much smaller.
🩸 The terns' repeated attacks on the polar bear can draw blood from its sensitive nose, demonstrating their tenacity.
🌊 The retreating sea ice is a significant factor affecting the lives of both the terns and the polar bears, impacting their habitats and food sources.
🥶 Polar bears lose weight rapidly when on land, as they are forced to scavenge and struggle to find enough food, highlighting the challenges they face due to environmental changes.
🌌 The Arctic summer is a critical time for both the terns and polar bears, as it is a period of intense activity and survival strategies for these species.

Q & A

What time of year is it in the script?
-It is late July, the last of Sart's summer.
What is the longest migration of any animal, as mentioned in the script?
-The longest migration is over 30,000 kilometers, undertaken by the Arctic terns from Antarctica to the Arctic.
How long do Arctic tern chicks have to prepare for their first migration?
-Arctic tern chicks have only 21 days to prepare for their first 30,000 km migration.
What makes the waters of Spal Bir super rich?
-The waters of Spal Bir are super rich in energy, which is required by the Arctic terns for their migration.
Why do the adult Arctic terns have to fish nonstop?
-The adult Arctic terns have to fish nonstop to transport the energy from the ocean to their beaks for their chicks.
What makes the Arctic tern's nesting ground vulnerable?
-The Arctic terns nest on the ground, which makes them vulnerable due to the presence of predators.
Which predator is forced onto the land due to retreating sea ice?
-The polar bear, which is the Arctic's largest predator, is forced onto the land due to the retreating sea ice.
How much body weight does a polar bear lose for each day spent on land?
-A polar bear loses a kilo of body weight for every day it spends on land.
What does the polar bear turn into when it is on land and starving?
-The polar bear turns into a scavenger when it is on land and starving.
What happens when the Arctic tern chicks cry for help?
-When the Arctic tern chicks cry for help, their cries are heard and they engage in repeated attacks, drawing blood from the polar bear's sensitive nose.
How are the Arctic terns described in terms of their behavior towards predators?
-The Arctic terns are described as highly aggressive, fearless, and capable of driving away the Arctic's top predator.

Outlines

00:00

🐧 Arctic Migration and Survival

The script describes the arduous journey of the Arctic terns, who travel from Antarctica to the Arctic for the summer, a migration of over 30,000 kilometers. These birds have a short time to raise their chicks, who must be ready to undertake the same journey in just 21 days. The rich waters of the Arctic provide the necessary energy for this incredible feat, as the parents must transport food from the ocean to their young. The narrative also touches on the vulnerability of the chicks when left alone and the threat posed by the polar bears, which are forced onto land due to retreating sea ice and are driven to scavenge, highlighting the struggle of survival in the Arctic ecosystem.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Arctic Tern

The Arctic Tern is a migratory bird known for its long-distance travel from the Arctic to Antarctica and back each year. This bird is central to the video's theme of migration and survival. In the script, it is mentioned that the terns travel over 30,000 kilometers, which is the longest migration of any animal.

💡Migration

Migration refers to the seasonal movement of animals from one region to another, typically to find food, breeding grounds, or more favorable conditions. In the context of the video, the Arctic Tern's migration is highlighted as an extreme example of this behavior, emphasizing the lengths these birds go to for survival.

💡Chicks

Chicks are the young offspring of birds. In the video, the tern's chicks are mentioned as having just hatched and needing to prepare for their first migration within a very short period of 21 days, illustrating the rapid growth and development required for these birds to survive.

💡Spitzbergen

Spitzbergen, also known as Svalbard, is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. The script mentions 'Spal bir's Super Rich Waters,' which likely refers to the rich marine ecosystem around Spitzbergen, providing the necessary energy and resources for the terns to sustain their migration.

💡Sea Ice

Sea ice is frozen seawater that forms and moves over the ocean's surface. The script discusses how the retreating sea ice forces predators onto land, changing the dynamics of the Arctic ecosystem and creating new challenges for the wildlife, such as the polar bears.

💡Polar Bears

Polar bears are the largest land predators in the Arctic and are featured in the script as facing challenges due to the retreating sea ice. They are forced to become scavengers and lose weight when they are on land, highlighting the impact of environmental changes on these animals.

💡Scavenger

A scavenger is an organism that consumes dead or decaying organic matter. The script describes how the polar bear, usually a predator, is forced into a scavenger role due to the lack of food on land, illustrating the adaptability and survival strategies of animals in the Arctic.

💡Aggressive

Aggressive behavior is characterized by a willingness to attack or confront others. The script mentions that the terns, despite their small size, are highly aggressive and fearless, using this behavior to protect their young from predators like the polar bear.

💡Vulnerable

Vulnerable refers to being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or in terms of survival. The terns' chicks are described as vulnerable because they are left alone when the adults fish, and their ground nesting makes them an easier target for predators.

💡Energy

In the context of the video, energy refers to the food resources that the terns need to sustain their long migrations. The script mentions that the 'Super Rich Waters' of Spitzbergen contain all the energy required, emphasizing the importance of these waters in the survival of the terns.

💡Survival

Survival is the ability to continue living or existing, especially in spite of difficult or dangerous conditions. The video's theme revolves around the survival strategies of Arctic animals, such as the terns' migration and the polar bears' adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

Highlights

It is late July, marking the end of Svalbard's summer.

Visitors are just settling in as the Arctic terns have arrived from Antarctica.

Arctic terns undertake the longest migration of any animal, over 30,000 kilometers.

The terns will have to fly back to Antarctica in just three weeks.

Tern chicks have hatched and will need to fly 30,000 km in only 21 days.

Parents are transporting energy from the ocean to their chicks.

Svalbard's super-rich waters provide all the energy required for the terns.

Adult terns fish nonstop, sometimes leaving their chicks alone.

Terns nesting on the ground make their chicks vulnerable to predators.

Retreating sea ice has forced Svalbard's largest predator, the polar bear, onto land.

Polar bears are facing tough times, losing a kilo of body weight for every day spent on land.

The great ice bear turns into a scavenger and is starving.

A tern chick's cries for help are heard, attracting a polar bear.

Arctic terns, despite their small size, are highly aggressive and fearless.

Repeated attacks by terns draw blood from the polar bear's sensitive nose.

The Arctic's top predator is driven away by one of its smallest birds.