One of the 13 seals on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Phocidae
Weddell Seal
Leptonychotes weddellii
Least Concern
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The Weddell seal is a pinniped mammal of the family Phocidae. It was named in honour of Sir James Weddell, commander of the British marine expedition to the Weddell Sea. They live in small groups and inhabit the circumpolar region of the southern hemisphere, Antarctica. Older estimates put the population at around 800,000, although more recent ones are much lower. They are seen regularly on the many ice-free islands of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is not a migratory species, and its local movements are the result of changes in ice conditions.
Weight
400 kg – 600 kg
Size
2.5 m – 3.3 m
Life expectancy
30 years
