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Key Places for biodiversity

Learn the wildlife of the McMurdo Dry Valleys

Victoria Land, Antarctica

Mhe McMurdo Dry Valleys is one of E.O. Wilson's Key Places, irreplaceable for life on Earth. 62 species have research-grade observations there on iNaturalist, and KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos.

Victoria Land; few species are recorded here

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Adelie Penguin Pygoscelis adeliae240
  2. South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki164
  3. Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri115
  4. Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea21
  5. Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus9
  6. Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica9
  7. Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus3
  8. Royal Penguin Eudyptes schlegeli2
  9. Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides2
  10. Light-mantled Albatross Phoebetria palpebrata2

Plants

  1. Silvery Bryum Bryum argenteum2
  2. Heim's Pottia Hennediella heimii1
  3. Watermelon snow Chlamydomonas nivalis1

Mammals

  1. Weddell Seal Leptonychotes weddellii215
  2. Orca Orcinus orca125
  3. Leopard Seal Hydrurga leptonyx40
  4. Crabeater Seal Lobodon carcinophaga39
  5. Antarctic Minke Whale Balaenoptera bonaerensis36
  6. Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus7
  7. Arnoux's Beaked Whale Berardius arnuxii5
  8. Ross Seal Ommatophoca rossii5
  9. Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae3
  10. Southern Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina3

Mollusks

  1. Clione antarctica5
  2. Festive Tritonid Tritonia festiva2
  3. Limatula hodgsoni1
  4. Tritoniella belli1
  5. Spongiobranchaea australis1
  6. Bathyberthella antarctica1
  7. Neobuccinum eatoni1

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.