Animals played a massive part in Sir Ernest Shackleton's Trans Antarctic Expedition. They fed and kept the men alive, they entertained them, and they kept them on their toes. What exactly were the animals Shackleton and his crew encountered and what were they like? One of the animals that played the largest part in the crew's story about the expedition were penguins. Now most people adore penguins. They’re cute, fluffy and live life without a care in the world, but did you know they also like banjo music “Ay they’re queer creatures, an ah’d never have been surprised to see them clappin’ their flippers when the doctor finished a tune.” (17). Another group of animals that played a minor part in the story was Mrs.Chippy (a cat) and the sled dogs. …show more content…
When the crew and their ship the Endurance were imprisoned in the ice for 8 months “The dogs were the most dependable source of entertainment.” (28) helping to prevent the men from getting cabin fever. Another group of animals who they had lot’s of encounters with near the end of the story were birds that weren’t Penguins. Birds like the albatross, and the cormorant that they met closer to land. Seemingly these birds, mocked them showing them they were so close to land but they still had a lot of work to do “Since leaving the island the six men had been accompanied by an albatross, who soared and dipped through the air. … Each time Worsley had calculated the miles they had put behind them the bird seemed to mock their slow progress.” (103) Another bird that taunted them was the cormorant by showing them they weren’t far from land “Through the mist they spotted a cormorant and the men swore the birds never went further than 15 miles from land.”