Weddell Seal in the Antarctic.

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Weddell Seal in the Antarctic.
Weddell Seal in the Antarctic.

For International Seal Day on March 22nd.
"Weddell seals are large animals. Both adult males and females are about 3 metres long and weigh around 400–500 kg. The head is small relative to body size and the colour is usually dappled grey and black on the back with a mostly white under-belly.
Weddell seals have a circumpolar distribution and are coastal, staying around the fast ice and venturing only 15–20 km into the Southern Ocean to feed. Weddell seals haul-out onto the fast-ice to rest and moult, and for females to pup.

Weddell seals are incredibly placid sedentary animals. They can be approached without much apparent stress to the animal. When they haul-out they remain close to their access hole on top of the ice. Underwater they remain relatively close to their breeding colonies, usually within 50–100 km though occasional migrations of several hundred kilometres do occur, especially by juveniles.

Weddell seals are the most southerly ranging mammal to permanently inhabit the continent. Sightings of the seals have been made in New Zealand and Australia, though they are very rare indeed."

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Taken on: December 18, 2013
Groups appears in:   • Antarctic Peninsula - best photos only please    • Tall Tails of Animals    more » • A World of Creature Wonders    « less
Camera: Pentax K-30, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec, 200mm (=300mm), ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Pentax K-30
Aperture: f/6.3
Exposure Time: 0.001 sec (1/1000)
Focal Length: 200mm (35mm equivalent: 300mm)
ISO: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program: Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode: Auto
Metering Mode: Center-weighted average
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: Uncalibrated
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Macintosh)
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