Mammal · seal

Leopard seal

Hydrurga leptonyx

PacificAtlanticIndianSouthernArctic A single ocean

Depth

Dives mostly to about 30 m, record of 1,256 m

Size

About 3 m, the female weighs up to 540 kg

Diet

Krill, fish, squid, penguins, young fur seals

Zone

Sunlit zone · 0 – 200 m

Key facts

• The female is about 50% heavier than the male.
• A male fitted with a tag went down to 1,256 m for 25 minutes.
• It is one of the few marine mammals that eat both warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals.
• It usually lives alone.

Verified sources

1. Kienle et al. 2022, Frontiers in Marine Science
2. Encyclopaedia Britannica : leopard seal

In the game: To observe

In the same zone

Arnoux’s beaked whaleBerardius arnuxii Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalus OrcaOrcinus orca Cuvier’s beaked whaleZiphius cavirostris Southern elephant sealMirounga leonina Leatherback sea turtleDermochelys coriacea