Weddell Seal
The Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) holds the mammal record for living further south than any other species. They occupy permanent "fast" ice, entering the water through cracks and breathing holes, whereas the other Antarctic seals prefer pack ice which has disintegrated into smaller pieces. It was named after a seal hunter called James Weddell (1787-1834), who also had the Weddell Sea named after him. They cannot have been difficult to hunt as they show total indifference to humans. I photographed this one snoozing on snow on the Antarctic continent itself. Unlike the similar Crabeater Seal, their pelage is richly patterned like an Axminster carpet. They can also be identified at a distance by their comparatively small heads on huge, fat bodies.
Weddell Seal
The Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) holds the mammal record for living further south than any other species. They occupy permanent "fast" ice, entering the water through cracks and breathing holes, whereas the other Antarctic seals prefer pack ice which has disintegrated into smaller pieces. It was named after a seal hunter called James Weddell (1787-1834), who also had the Weddell Sea named after him. They cannot have been difficult to hunt as they show total indifference to humans. I photographed this one snoozing on snow on the Antarctic continent itself. Unlike the similar Crabeater Seal, their pelage is richly patterned like an Axminster carpet. They can also be identified at a distance by their comparatively small heads on huge, fat bodies.