Rather than humans lining up to see wildlife, on Petermann Island the Adelie penguins seem to queue to check out the tourists. One of the most visited spots in Antarctica, Petermann has changed remarkably in recent years, with Adelie numbers declining rapidly and gentoo penguin numbers increasing.

Leaving Neko Harbour.

Blue-eyed shag

Gentoo and Adelie penguins.

Weddell seals are among the only warm-blooded animals to stay in Antarctica over winter, surviving by chewing breathing holes in the ice – the lighter patches seen above this mother and pup.

Akademik Ioffe approaching Vernadsky station.

Humpback whales gorge in the krill-rich Antarctic waters. The cornerstone group of crustaceans known as krill not only feed these leviathans, but also Antarctic fish, seals and birds.

Petermann Island.

Ice sculpture afloat.

Weddell pups are born on pack ice, become independent in 2–3 months and grow to a size of 3 m in length, weighing 400 kg.

Emperor penguin.

Lemaire Channel.

Lemaire Channel.

Paradise Harbour.

McMurdo Sound, east Antarctica. An icebreaker travels through the 3025 sq. km sound’s ice-clogged waters: the ice sheets increasingly fragmented by warmer-than-usual late summer temperatures.

Deception Island