Antarctic Seals: Photos, Facts and Information - Antarctica Guide (2023)

Because of the seals' beautiful fur coats and oily blubber, they were hunted on a large scale in the late 18th and 19th centuries. In fact, much of the early exploration of Antarctica was due to seals.

Today, seals are a protected species and thrive in Antarctica. With few predators (other than the rare killer whale!), seals are notablerelaxed when it comes to peopleand will often be more curious than anything else.

One of the joys of aAntarctic cruiseis to be able to observe the seals up close.

Although only 6 of the 35 species of seals live in Antarctica, these 6 species actually make up the vast majority of all seals on Earth. The 6 species are Antarctic Fur Seals, Leopard Seals, Ross Seals, Southern Elephant Seals, Crabeater Seals and Weddell Seals.

Because of their thick layer of blubber and fur, Antarctic fur seals are extremely resilientwell adapted to freezing conditionsand indeed they often find the conditions too hot and have to dive into the water to cool off. Seals are carnivores and eat fish, krill or squid depending on the seal species.

Seals can be divided into three families: true seals, long-eared seals and walruses. Walruses are found in the Arctic, and seals (common in most zoos) are generally found in more temperate climates.

With the exception of fur seals, all Antarctic seals are "true seals" and do not have ears. Despite this, Antarctic seals can hear just as well as we can, and underwater they can hear much better than we can.

Scientists think seals use a type of sonar, similar to dolphins, to locate prey. It is also believed that their long whiskers can detect the slightest movement in a given direction.

By combining the two sonar capabilities, seals are better able to locate prey in total darkness than in daylight.

In terms of eyesight, seals havesharp sight, but can't see the colors very well. However, they recognize natural tones of seawater such as green and blue very well.

Like other low-light hunters like cats, seals have a silvery coating behind their retinas that allows them to absorb much more light than humans, which is ideal for deep ocean hunting in low light.

Seals spend most of their lives at sea, coming ashore to breed only during peak tourist season in Antarctica. Seals live most of their lives at sea, which is often the caseHold your breath for more than 30 minutesand indeed they sleep beneath the surface of the water, often surfacing for air without waking.

Below we provide information about each species of Antarctic seal and where is the best place to see them.

Undoubtedly one ofthe cutest sealsIn Antarctica, Wedell fur seals tend to stay in groups on the ice during the Antarctic summer months.

During the breeding season, these groups can often number more than 200 seals. Because of this, frond seals are one of the most commonly seen seals in aAntarctic cruise🇧🇷 During the breeding season, it is common to see male Wedell seals fighting their territory.

Wedge seals are unusual in that they will always choose to lie down on snow or ice, even when rock or warmer ground is available.

her love of ice creamand their need to avoid killer whales means these creatures tend to avoid ice packs and seek inland breeding sites.

Wewell Seal details:

Height and weight:The average length of a frond seal is 3 meters, with the females being slightly longer. The average weight of a Wedell seal is around 450 kg.

Feeding:Feeding primarily on fish, squid and krill, Wedell fur seals are among the best divers in the seal kingdom and can dive to over 1,500 feet in search of prey. To do this, frond seals can slow their heart rate, restrict blood flow, and carry five times the amount of oxygen in the blood of humans to reach these depths.

breeding season:The females are pregnant for 11 months and the young are born in September to November. A female usually gives birth to 2 young every 3 years.

World population:It is estimated that there are between 500,000 and 1 million Wedell seals.

Distribution:The frond seal is the southernmost breeding animal in the world. The frond seal is commonly found on sub-Antarctic islands.

Conservation status:Protected by the Antarctic Treaty, Wedell seals have a conservation status of species of least concern.

predators:Like most Antarctic fur seals, Wedell fur seals have very few predators. The only one is the orca. The Wedell seal was a popular food for the dogs of the sled dogs. However, this practice was discontinued in 1994 and the population is doing very well.

Southern elephant seals are the world's largest seals and males can weigh up to 4,000 kg (8,800 lb).

Though they are big and heavy on land,Elephant seals are incredibly good swimmers.and often dives more than 2 km! Biologists regularly record elephant seals staying under water for 2 hours.

Males are much larger than females and therefore dominate the breeding season. Males will first establish their territory on the crowded beach by fighting other males. Loot is often afemale harem 50 strong.

Fights between male elephant seals are actually very rare as most males can evaluate each other before a fight and determine which male wins.

Fights only begin when the two males are very similar in size. Males usually only have one season as beachmasters. This is because the males cannot survive a second season due to constant stress, waking up, fighting and starvation.

Southern elephant seals tend to congregate in exceptional numbers on large beaches. They are so close together that the seals often lie on top of each other and the young animals regularly die due to the cramped conditions.

By 1964, elephant seals were being killed en masse for their thick layers of blubber, and populations were declining at an alarming rate. Nowadays, however, elephant seals are very healthy and are most commonly seen in South Georgia.

The best Antarctic cruise option to see elephant seals is thisAntarctic cruise to Falklands and South Georgia.

Southern Elephant Seal Facts:

Height and weight:The average length of a male elephant seal is 5 meters with an average weight of 2,500 kg (5,500 klb). Females are typically 2.5 meters long and weigh around 500 kg (1,100 lb)

Feeding:Males and females usually feed separately, but both eat about 75% squid and 25% fish, mostly notothenids (Antarctic cod).

breeding season:From September to October, the young are born very quickly after the arrival of the females. Mothers spend 3 weeks on the beach with their young before heading out to sea. The pups spend another 8 to 10 weeks on the beach before heading out to sea.

World population:The last population estimate is from 1996 and gave an estimate of 650,000.

Distribution:Elephant seals are found throughout Antarctica but prefer the slightly more temperate areas north of the peninsula. The Falkland Islands and South Georgia are the best places to see them.

Conservation status:Southern elephant seals are protected by the Antarctic Convention and have a conservation status of species of least concern.

predators:Orcas prey on both elephant seals and large sharks. Leopard seals have also been known to kill baby elephant seals.

Southern fur seals, the smallest of Antarctic fur seals, are closely related to dogs and sea lions. Like both creatures, sea lions have long whiskers, sharp teeth, and equally thick fur. Like other Antarctic fur seals, fur seals lack layers of fat. Instead, sea lions rely on their extremely thick fur to keep their bodies warm. Sea lions are generally dark in color, but occasionally you will see a blonde sea lion.

Unlike elephant seals, female seals do not congregate in harems, instead the males fight over territory and then mate with the females, who choose their territory. As a result, popular beach locations are highly competitive, with males often mating with over 100 females in one season at the best breeding sites.

The female is responsible for raising the young and unlike other seals, sea lions actively hunt and feed during the breeding season and do not rely solely on their milk to feed their young. The females usually feed on fish along the coast while the males hunt further out to sea.

During the 19th century, seals were hunted to near extinction and their world population dropped to less than 5,000! Fortunately, seals were placed under protection in the 1930s and their numbers quickly increased again.

The best place to see sea lions is in the airsouth of GeorgiaHome to 95% of the world's sea lions.

Facts about Antarctic seals:

Height and weight:Males weigh around 150 kg and females weigh an average of 35 kg. The typical length is about 1.8 meters for a man and 1.3 meters for a woman.

Feeding:Krill is their main food source; However, when krill is not available, sea lions will eat fish, squid, and the occasional penguin.

breeding season:Females give birth in November and December. The males arrive about a month before the females to establish a territory. The females stay with the young for 4 months.

World population:It is estimated that there are between 5 and 7 million seals worldwide, with the population growing all the time.

Distribution:Southern fur seals typically live on sub-Antarctic islands, particularly South Georgia.

Conservation status:Fur seals are protected by the Antarctic Convention and have Least Concern conservation status.

predators:Leopard seals prey on seal pups to such an extent that they may soon lead to a population decline.

By far the most abundant seal in Antarctica, the crabeater seal is actually the world's most numerous large mammal after humans, with an estimated population of about 15 million. The crabeater seal is one of the most commonly seen seals during an Antarctic cruise.

Although crabeater seals are often seen in small flocks, they tend to be solitary and their coat color can vary from blonde to a very dark brown. They spend their entire lives in Antarctica, resting in the ice areas where they breed, molt and rest.

They can cover really great distances, but that's usually due to movement of the ice pack rather than an actual long-distance swim. Despite their name, crabeater seals feed almost exclusively on krill. In fact, crabeater seals have specially designed teeth that allow them to filter krill out of seawater.

Because males do not have to be large to compete for harems, males and females are roughly the same size. While most Antarctic seals seem unfazed by human presence, crabeater seals are incredibly shy and often glance nervously at the surrounding land. When a human approaches, they usually slip into the water and swim away.

Facts about the Crabeater Seal:

Height and weight:Crab seals typically weigh around 250 kg (500 lb) and are typically 2.5 meters long.

Feeding:Krill is the main food source for all crabeater seals.

breeding season:Puppies are usually born between September and December and are weaned at around 3 weeks. At this point, puppies are just beginning to develop a full coat.

World population:15 million is the current estimate, but estimates range from 10 to 20 million.

Distribution:Most commonly found on large ice floes floating around the Antarctic coast. One of the southernmost living species in the world.

Conservation status:Fur seals are protected by the Antarctic Convention and have Least Concern conservation status.

predators:killer whales and leopard seals. Leopard seals are said to kill about 80% of all crab-eating pups. If you look closely, most crabeaters have scars down their sides, evidence of previous battles with leopard seals.

The Ross Seal is the least known, least common, and smallest of all Antarctic seals. Because of their solitary nature and rare distribution, very little is known about Ross's seals.

Ross seals, which prefer to live in the densest ice, can be identified by their silvery-white bellies beneath their brown torsos. Ross seals tend to have relatively small heads with large, bright eyes. The size of the eyes can be adjusted for hunting in deep, dark water.

Ross seals have very small mouths with small, needle-like teeth that are good for catching slippery prey. Ross seals also produce a strange siren sound that can be heard above and below the water. Scientists aren't sure what causes this sound, but it can be heard over a very long distance, which can be used as a form of escape or encounter.

The best opportunity to see Ross Seals is atRoss Seal Cruise.

Ross Seal Fatos:

Height and weight:Ross seals typically weigh around 200 kg (400 lb) and are typically 2.5 meters long.

Feeding:Fish and squid are the main diet of steed seals.

breeding season:The young are born on ice in November and are weaned at just 4 weeks. Ross seals are believed to mate underwater, but this has never been observed. Young animals reach sexual maturity at the age of three years.

World population:130,000 is the rough estimate scientists have given. This is very difficult to estimate as very few are seen each year.

Distribution:Ross seals are rarely seen and rarely venture far from the Antarctic region, preferring the dense ice.

Conservation status:Fur seals are protected by the Antarctic Convention and have Least Concern conservation status.

predators:Killer whales and leopard seals are believed to be predators of the steed seal, but there is no actual evidence of this.

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