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At the far ends of the earth, in some of the most extreme environments imaginable, live some of the world's most resilient creatures.

Antarctica's nearly unlivable conditions for most of the year are well documented, yet life abounds during the short but spectacular summer season on the white continent.

The oceans are filled with fascinating life, including some of the world's largest living mammals.

With their distinctive humps and unique black and white tail patterns, humpback whales are easy to spot in these frigid waters.

Humpbacks come to Antarctica's Polar waters each summer to feed on massive shoals of tiny krill, a nearly microscopic relative of the shrimp before migrating to warmer waters, where they give birth to their young.

Other marine mammals, like the distinctive leopard seal named for its black spotted coat, also call these waters home.

These big pinnypeds can weigh over 800 pounds.

They're hunters living on smaller seals, penguins, birds, fish, and squid.

The only predator they fear is the mighty killer whale.

On shore, you won't see large iconic animals like those of the Arctic.

In fact, the largest terrestrial inhabitant here is but half an inch long.

The Wingless Midge - an insect.

However, what you will find in adorable abundance are penguins.

Of the 17 species of penguin in the world, seven spend time in Antarctica.

Of these, two species are found nowhere else.

The bountiful, Adelie penguin with an estimated population of 2.5 million pairs.

And a rarer sighting on your expedition, the regal emperor penguin, who also calls Antarctica home year round.

These Majestic creatures can grow to four and a half feet tall.

Penguins have evolved over time to swim rather than fly.

With their wings acting as flippers, they glide gracefully through the Antarctic Seas.

Research has shown they're waddling to be a highly effective means of walking on snow and ice.

And when they toboggan across slickk snow on their stomachs, they can outpace a running human.

At the top of the world, near the North Pole, you'll encounter a whole different variety of wildlife.

Camouflaged beautifully against a snowy landscape is the quintessential symbol of Arctic life - the Polar bear.

Ursus maritimus - the maritime bear.

It's born on land, but beautifully adapted for moving across floating ice and swimming open waters.

The Polar bear prefers a diet of seals, but when the sea ice is scarce, they adapt their diet and eat almost anything with protein, including reindeer.

The walrus is one of the arctic's most lovable creatures with its whiskers, tusks, and rotund physique.

These same qualities, however, have made them a prized commodity over the centuries to the region's indigenous people who've hunted walrus for their meat, blubber, tusks, and skin.

You may spot wall walruses in their preferred shallow waters - feasting on clams and other mollusks.

Connecting the two ends of the earth is a one tireless creature - The tiny Arctic tern.

This ambitions little bird travels up to 44,000 miles annually, the longest migration in the world.

From the Arctic to Antarctica, and back again, logging more than a million miles in its lifetime.

Whether you explore the Arctic or Antarctica, you are sure to be both humbled and awed by the majestic wildlife you'll find on these extraordinary expeditions.