The Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) is an Antarctic seal that lives farther south than any other mammal, inhabiting the waters of McMurdo Sound, 800 miles from the South Pole. It is commonly named for Captain James Weddell, an explorer in the 1820's whose book described and illustrated Weddell seals.
They are known to hunt at night for prey species such as fish, squid, and krill. They have the ability to stay underwater for up to one hour and unlike other seals they swallow their food in large chunks underwater instead of chewing. They are known to dive down to depths of 700 metres but dives are more commonly performed to 300 metres. The Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) grows to a maximum length of 3 metres and can weigh up to 450 kg.
The images of the Weddell Seal were taken by Kylie Russell on a research trip to the Antarctic in 1998.
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