Antarctic Krill Swarm Southern Ocean
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) — 6-centimetre crustaceans that aggregate in swarms up to 2 kilometres wide and 200 metres deep with densities of 30,000 individuals per cubic metre — are the foundation species of the Southern Ocean ecosystem and the most abundant animal biomass on Earth. During summer feeding swarms, the krill turn the surface of the Southern Ocean orange-red for kilometres, and when penguins and fur seals work a swarm, the water surface erupts with the feeding activity of thousands of animals simultaneously. Encountering a krill swarm while snorkelling or diving in Antarctic waters — the water dense with the orange bodies and the light filtered green-amber through millions of translucent shells — is one of marine biology's most fundamental and humbling experiences. The krill's own bioluminescence is visible in night dives, turning the swarm into a diffuse blue-green cloud that pulses with coordinated light.
About this spectacle
Standing on the deck of a research vessel or expedition ship in the waters around South Georgia, you may witness the Southern Ocean turn orange-red across kilometres of open sea — a krill swarm of almost incomprehensible scale. Euphausia superba, six-centimetre orange crustaceans, congregate in masses up to two kilometres wide and two hundred metres deep. When penguins and fur seals locate a swarm, the water erupts: thousands of animals lunging, diving, and surfacing in frenzied synchrony. For those who enter the water, the experience is visceral — visibility drops as the water fills with translucent orange bodies, light filtering through millions of shells in a green-amber haze. On night dives, each krill emits bioluminescence, and the swarm becomes a diffuse blue-green cloud pulsing with coordinated light. This is the base of Antarctica's food web made visible and tangible — a spectacle of ecological scale that humbles even experienced marine biologists.
When to go
Nov — Mar, peak Dec — Feb
Getting there
Nearest city: Stanley.
Booking options
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