The polar lands at and seas around the North and South Poles are one of Earth's most unique and unspoiled habitats. Many plants, animals and people have made these cold, snowy and icy environments their home and are adapted to living there. They have to be tough to survive in a world where freezing temperatures, long dark winters, and fearsome predators are all challenges to survival. Find out about threats to these beautiful environments and why they are so important to life on Earth and how the may be used or may change in the future.