Leopard Seal
Hydrurga leptonyx
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 1,089
- Most observed in
- 🇦🇶 Antarctica
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), also referred to as the sea leopard, is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the southern elephant seal). It is a top order predator, feeding on a wide range of prey including cephalopods, other pinnipeds, krill, fish, and birds, particularly penguins. Its only natural predator is the orca.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Leopard seal”.