Search results
Jun 27, 2023 · Leopard seals can swim at speeds of 25 mph even though they weigh a whopping 1,300 pounds and measure 10 feet long. Their bodies are elongated and slender, but their heads are large and appear too big for their bodies, which are streamlined.
- Female
- October 15, 1988
- Writer
- Leopard Seal Quick Facts
- Leopard Seal Facts: Introduction
- How to Recognize A Leopard Seal
- What Do Leopard Seals Eat?
- The Leopard Seal Is An Excellent Swimmer
- Underwater Singing
- Breeding
- How Do Leopard Seals Keep Warm?
- Leopard Seal Questions
- Now See More Amazing Animals in The Active Wild Online Zoo!
Other Name(s):Sea leopardScientific Name: Hydrurga leptonyxType of Animal: MammalAnimal Family:Phocidae (the earless, or ‘true seal’ family)The scientific name for the leopard seal is Hydruga leptonyxwhich literally translates as “small clawed water worker”. The leopard seal lives in the cold waters of the Antarctic region, although some young seals travel further north to the southern coastlines of Australia or New Zealand. Leopard seals are solitary creatures, spending most of their ...
The leopard seal is a large, muscular animal. It has a dark grey or black back and pale grey undersides. Its body is covered with distinctive, leopard-like black spots, which is how it got its name. Females are slightly longer and heavier than males. Young leopard seals are known as pups. Pups have a soft, thick coat with a dark stripe on the back ...
Leopard seals have a varied diet. Young leopard seals eat krill, squid and fish. Larger leopard seals eat krill (estimated 45% of diet), other seals (30%), penguins (10%) and fish (10%).
The leopard seal has very large fore-flippers, making it a fast and graceful swimmer, but clumsy on land. It spends the majority of its life in the water. Whereas other seal species swim by moving their rear ends from side to side, the leopard seal also uses long, powerful, simultaneous strokes of its fore-flippers. The leopard seal can dive for up...
The male leopard seal spends long periods of time ‘singing’ under the water. These vocalizations have been recorded by scientists. It is thought leopard seals sing underwater in an attempt to attract a mate.
Females become mature between 3 and 7 years, while males reach maturity a little later at 6 or 7 years. The males and females come together for the mating season between November and February. Female leopard seals are pregnant for 11 months. They usually give birth to one pup, which will be a whopping 1m long and up to 32kg in weight! When the pup ...
Leopard seals are insulated from the freezing cold waters by a thick layer of body fat known as “blubber”. Young seals have a layer of water repellent fur to help keep them warm, until they grow a sufficient layer of body fat. If the skin is damaged it loses heat very quickly. A leopard seal’s skin can easily be damaged by the constant swimming or ...
Q1. What does the leopard seal’s scientific name, Hydrurga leptonyx, mean? 1. a) Large footed water leopard 2. b) Small faced water worker 3. c) Small clawed water worker Q2. Complete the sentence: Leopard Seals usually live…? 1. a) in large groups, with 30 other seals. 2. b) alone; they are solitary creatures. 3. c) in small groups, with around 5 ...
Visit a world-class zoo … without leaving your home! At the Active Wild Online Zooyou’ll find FREE pictures, facts and information on the world’s most incredible animals. Each page also features a specially chosen video, and a list of questions to test your knowledge! See other animals in the online zoo now!
The leopard seal’s diet includes penguins, and while penguins can swim up to 36km/h (22 mph), leopard seals can swim up to 38km/h (24mph). How smart are leopard seals? Leopard seals are highly intelligent, with different personalities.
Their bodies are long and slender, and their heads appear to be almost too large for their serpent-like bodies. This streamline shape, combined with their unusually large fore flippers, can help propel leopard seals through the water at speeds of up to 40 kph (25 mph).
- If your sense of adventure takes you on an Antarctic cruise, you may be lucky enough to cross paths with a leopard seal. They’re amazing creatures...
- Female leopard seals, the larger of the two sexes, can reach weights of 590 kilograms (1300 pounds), and grow to lengths of up to three meters (10...
- Leopard seals do not play well with others! Generally, they hunt alone and are typically never seen with more than one or two other individuals at...
- During the breeding season, leopard seals can become extremely vocal. These vocalizations have been recorded by scientists and are currently being...
- Female leopard seals are the first to reach sexual maturity, and do so between ages three to seven. Males take a little bit longer, and typically r...
- It’s not easy maintaining a long and healthy lifestyle in Antarctic environments, and leopard seals are lucky to have not only a generalized diet,...
- With Antarctic wildlife work come potentially dangerous situations. Despite the numerous workplace hazards, National Geographic photographer Paul N...
- Sadly, there is a flip side to Paul Nicklen’s amazing encounter. It can be a dangerous endeavor to try to study these creatures, and in one case, l...
- Antarctic krill compose about 45% of the leopard seal’s overall diet. Their teeth are grooved in specialized ways that allow them to filter krill o...
- When a leopard seal grows tired of eating, but still wants to be entertained, they’ll seek out penguins or young seals to play “cat and mouse” with...
They can swim in short bursts at up to 40 kmh (25 mph). Conservation status: Least concern. Protected by the Antarctic Treaty and the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals. Distribution: Circumpolar, ranging quite widely to sub-Antarctic islands and more northern waters, more so than most Antarctic seals.
Sep 4, 2023 · Leopard seals possess a streamlined body, allowing them to move effortlessly through the water. Their sleek design, combined with their powerful flippers and muscular body, enables them to reach impressive speeds of up to 37 kilometers per hour (23 miles per hour) while swimming.
People also ask
How fast can a leopard seal swim?
How long do leopard seals stay underwater?
Do leopard seals sleep underwater?
Are leopard seals good divers?
How big do leopard seals get?
How long do leopard seals live?
Leopard seals have unique cheek teeth that are shaped to allow them to strain krill from the water. Their loose jaw can open as far as 160 degrees. These seals swim so fast they can "jump" out of the sea onto the edge of the ice to get prey such as penguins.
