5 Remarkable Types of Seals You Can See in Antarctica

Spotting seals in their natural habitat is just one of the many incredible wildlife highlights on our voyages to the Southern Hemisphere. They are part of a group of animals called ‘pinnipeds’, which also includes walruses and sea lions (neither of which you will find in Antarctica).

The nutrient-rich waters of the Southern Ocean attract these expert divers, and with few predators, they thrive. We often see many of them lounging around on sea ice or heaped up on the beaches of South Georgia and the Peninsula. Keep an eye on your belongings on shore,  it’s not unusual for a curious seal to come to investigate a rogue backpack or camera.

Crabeater Seal

The name is misleading because Crabeater seals primarily consume krill, not crabs, as one might assume. These doe-eyed animals often weigh up to 500 pounds and the females generally give birth to one pup per year. Crabeaters are pale in color, have a long body and snout, and can live up to 40 years. It’s thought that these animals may be the most abundant large animal, other than humans, in the world.

These large seals typically inhabit the pack ice

Southern Elephant Seal

Masters of the beach, the humungous elephant seal is known for putting on impressive mating rituals each spring and gathering in large groups, known as a ‘haulout’. Elephant seal pups, known as weaners, captivate our visitors with their large, round eyes and sausage-shaped bodies. Named for their large size, the males grow a long, trunk-like nose. While females remain slightly smaller, these animals are an impressive sight – males can measure over 20 feet long and weigh up to 9,000 pounds! They are the largest pinniped in the world and, not surprisingly, a guest favorite.

Males can be five times bigger than females

Weddell Seal

These gentle giants spend most of their time underneath the Antarctic ice and can last underwater for over 45 minutes at a time. Weddell Seals can dive incredibly deep (up to around 600m) for food, which typically consists of krill, squid, and fish. Weddell Seals are named after British Captain James Weddell, and are recognized by their small heads and dark patterned backs with paler undersides. They are the southernmost breeding animal in the world.

Weddell seals are highly vocal and sing while they are hauled out

Antarctic Fur Seal

One of the smallest of the Antarctic seals, Antarctic fur seals are the only member of the ‘eared seal’ family found in the Antarctic. In the 18th and 19th centuries, 95% of the world’s population of Antarctica Fur Seals were hunted- they were disastrously close to becoming extinct. Now a protected species, they are thriving. Adult males are quite large and are usually dark brown, while the females are smaller and paler in color. We have even spotted leucistic fur seals- ones missing the pigment in their fur- on our voyages. As many as 4 million seals congregate on South Georgia each year, offering an incredible spectacle to visitors of the island.

Did you know that more than 95% of the world’s population breeds on South Georgia Island?

Leopard Seal

These predatory pinnipeds get their name from their spotted coat, though their name could also come from their incredible hunting ability, which is ferocious in nature. They will hunt and eat fish, squid, krill, penguins, and even other seals. They are slender and powerful creatures, with long canine teeth for grabbing prey. Also known for their underwater singing ability, the males will sing for several hours a day. Leopard seals are found in the waters and pack ice throughout the Antarctic peninsula.

Leopard seal teeth are specialised for tearing and cutting prey