Frozen Solitude Seals - Antarctica 2026

Conquering the White Continent - Part 4

Its the first day in the zodiacs. We are all pumped. We didnt know what to expect as the crew drove around ice floes. Then suddenly we see a speck in the distance. It looked like a rock. But as we got closer, the rock took on features, flippers close to a grey body. A small head barely lifting up from the hole it dug in the snow. Welcome to life on the edge of the world. Welcome to a seal's life.

Species of Antarctic Seals

There are six species of seals that inhabit the waters of the Antarctic peninsula. Four of which we saw during the cruise. Each with their own characteristics and behaviors. But I still can't tell them apart. To me they are all big blubbery mass of cuteness.

Crabeater - The most abundant seal found in the waters, and yes, the most common seal we saw on the cruise. Usually brown to light yellow. Adults can reach up to 7.5 feet long and 500 pounds.

Primary diet consists of krill. Thick blubber used for insulation and energy storage allows Crabeater seals to lounge around all day on ice flows.

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Weddell - Plump gray and brown coats with mottled patches makes Weddell seals stand out from the rest. Can weigh up to 1200 pounds. Also know to dive down 1600 feet to hunt for fish. Famous for maintaining breathing holes in thick ice using their teeth. Most vocal of all the seals.

Leopard - The apex predator of the Antarctic seals. Powerful jaws with both canines and trident shaped molars allow leopard seals to feast on a varied diet including krill, fish, crusteceans, squid, penguins and other seals. Sleek muscular body exceeding 1,000 pounds and 1o feet in length.

Antarctic Fur - The only eared seal in Antarctica. Have visible external ear flaps and use there hind flippers to walk on land. Smaller than true seals but extremely agile swimmers. Breed on dense colonies on beaches north of the packed ice zone.

Ross - Ross seals are extremely rare in Antartica. One of the smallest seals at 6.5 feet in length and weighing 500 pounds. They are mostly pelagic or open water seals with

Elephant - Biggest of the pinnipeds at 20 feet in length and weighing over 8800 pounds. Characterized by there large inflatable nose. Majority of the population found around the South Georgia islands where they breed in dense colonies. They are deep divers going 1200 meters below the cold waters.

Seals are very susceptible to climate change with the melting of sea ice. Additional threats include entanglement, ship strikes and krill fishing. The avian flu that reached South Georgia island in 2023 has spread rapidly through the seal populatioin. The bird flu has severely decimated the Elephant seal and Fur seal population with early estimates of 50% decline in the female population of Elephant seals

We found a lone Stellar Sea Lion basking on an ice floe far from home