Animal Bytes

Leopard Seal
Hydrurga leptonx

mouth.jpg (22237 bytes)
Leopard seals have large teeth

 The leopard seal is named for its spotted coat pattern. Leopard seals have huge heads with enormous jaws. Females are larger than males, and may reach lengths of 3.6 m and weights of up to 450 kg.

Leopard seals live in and around the Antarctic. These solitary animals eat krill, cephalopods, fish, seals (mainly crabeater seals), seabirds, and penguins, especially Adelie penguins.


Impressive hunters, hungry leopard seals may burst through a spot of soft ice near a baby penguin rookery, in an attempt to grasp a penguin walking above. It may take as little as 4 to 7 minutes for a leopard seal to consume an Adelie penguin.

Leopard seals are not considered threatened or endangered.

 

 

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