Pictures and facts about the Weddell seal

Weddell seal

Order : Carnivora
Family : Phocidae
Species : Leptonychotes weddellii

The Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) could be found scattered all over the Antartic but also on (at least) 15 islands nearby. They are arctic region dwellers, both on fast ice and on sea, migrating is something they do not do, and being shifted from one place to another are caused by ice conditions/movements. Swimming underwater happens when the ice areas are thin so that the Weddell Seal could punch holes (by their teeth that is). From November up to the Yuletide season, the females become pregnant.

They give birth on sea ice. Weddell Seal newborns weigh around 30 kg upon birth, but that is on the average. Six weeks of age is the time for weaning, and here is one trivia for you. The male Weddell Seal do not usually mate until six to seven years old. This particular seal navigates in slow motion (humping motion that is) both on ground and on ice. This you do not (chances are): the Weddell Seal could swim at a clip of 5 to 7 knots. The depths they can reach could go up to 600 meters, and it could remain submerged for 60 minutes. They also eat underwater.

Weddell Seals are are killed for dog-food purposes that have seal as an ingredient. One last thing, in case you are wondering about the name, they were named after James Weddell, the top man of a sealing expedition.

Interesting fact: Studies done by scholars/experts on the vocal ability of these seal have helped in mankind's attempts in the field of communications with animals.

Facts about the Weddell seal

The Weddell seal is the southern most breeding mammal in the world.

Weddell seals are the masters at diving.

or Leptonychotes weddellii is listed on the IUCN Red list (1996) as Lower Risk/Least Concern . (Full text)

A small population of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) is physically isolated from the Ross Sea by an ice shelf. (Full text)

Based on the slope of this relationship, the net cost per stroke for an adult Weddell seal is 0. (Full text)

De Weddellzeehond (Leptonychotes weddellii) is een van de meest voorkomende zeehonden in Antarctica en genoemd naar de Weddellzee, een deel van de Zuidelijke (Full text)

Weddell seals are found near the fast ice of the Antarctic continent, and some nearby islands. (Full text)

How many Weddell seals are there? (Full text)

Make bubbles The Weddell seal is preyed upon by ____________ (Full text)

The Weddell seal is a rotund animal growing to about 3 m (10 feet) in length and about 400 kg (880 pounds) in weight; the female is larger than the male. (Full text)

Hunting of the Weddell seal is permitted for commercial purposes; however, the 1972 convention for the conservation of Antarctic seals has set catch limits and prohibited the taking of individuals over the age of one year from September 1 to January 31. (Full text)

With their 'smiling', whiskered faces and relatively small heads, the large Weddell seals are quite appealing (Full text)

Printouts The Weddell seal is a large marine mammal that lives in Antarctic waters and on fast ice (ice anchored to land). (Full text)

Also, to accomplish such deep dives, the Weddell Seal is equipped with an inordinately large blood supply. (Full text)

De Weddellzeehond (Leptonychotes weddellii) is een van de meest voorkomende zeehonden in Antarctica en genoemd naar de Weddellzee, een deel van de Zuidelijke Oceaan. (Full text)

Although most ice-loving seals prefer the pack ice, the Weddell seal is found on near-shore fast ice. (Full text)

Weddell seal Weddell seals are named for Captain James Weddell, an explorer in the 1820s whose book described and illustrated Weddell seals. (Full text)

The Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) is found in regions of pack ice or fast ice close (Full text)

Weddell seals are not gregarious and remain a discrete distance from each other when hauled out. (Full text)

Distribution and Habitat The Weddell seal is circumpolar in the pack ice zone of (Full text)

Being versatile feeders, the main food for the Weddell seal is fish, such as the Antarctic cod and Antarctic silverfish. (Full text)

Weddell seals are highly vocal and their underwater calls are normally (Full text)

"Weddell seals are very large; they can weigh near a ton with females being slightly larger than males, extending over eight feet long. (Full text)

Weddell seals are named for Captain James Weddell, an explorer in the 1820s whose book described and illustrated Weddell seals. (Full text)

Weddell seals are beautiful, brutal (Full text)