Seals

• Crabeater seal – These seals are by far the greatest in number, with a population of over 15 million. They tend to live on the pack ice either on their own of in twos or threes. The crabeater seal does not eat crabs, instead it has specially developed teeth which strain the water for krill. Despite these seals being up to 2.4 metres (8 feet) long, they are readily hunted by killer whales.

  
  Crabeater Seals
  Photograph Australian Antarctic Division

• Weddell seal – The Weddell seal was named after the British Whaling Captain James Weddell. They are the most easily seen seals, as they live in groups of several hundred on the fast ice near to the water. Male Weddell seals can be up to 3.3 metres (11 feet) long and weigh over 70 stone! They are very good divers and can remain under the water for over 1 hour. This gives them plenty of time to hunt the fish they eat. In the winter, these seals can survive below the ice, as their teeth enable them to keep air holes open in the ice for breathing.

  
  Weddell Seals
  Photograph O. Ertok

• Ross Seal – Ross seals (named after Sir James Ross) are the least common of the seals and the ones most rarely seen. The main reason for this is that they like to live further up the pack ice and therefore further away from the coast. Ross seals can be up to 3 metres (10 feet) in length. They mainly feed on squid and octopus, but do also eat fish.
• Leopard seals – These have very different feeding habits to the others. They have very complicated teeth which, as well as enabling them to strain for krill, can kill fish, penguins and young crabeater seals. In fact their diet is a mixture of these, with squid as well! Leopard seals live on the pack ice, but are quick swimmers and therefore the penguin’s greatest threat.

  
  Elephant Seal & Leopard Seal
  Photograph Christo Baars

• Elephant seal – The elephant seal, as the name suggests, is the largest of the seals. Males are larger and can be up to 4½ metres (15 feet) long, and weigh 4 tonnes. They breed differently to the other seals, as one male will breed with approximately 70 females. The males can be very aggressive towards other males and nasty fights occur. Elephant seals live mainly in the water, with blubber up to 15cm (6inches) thick to keep them warm. They mainly eat squid, but also fish.
• Fur seal – These were the most popular seals with the seal hunters and consequently had the lowest numbers. The population is recovering extremely well, though. Adult fur seals are often longer than 1.8 metres (6 feet) and are the only eared seal in Antarctica. Also unlike the other seals, it has a fine hair covering that acts as insulation. Fur seals mainly eat krill but supplement this with fish and squid.