Leptonychotes weddellii Skull replica measures 11 inches. Leptonychotes weddellii Skull replica is museum quality polyurethane resin cast. Known as Weddell Seal
Leptonychotes weddellii or Weddell seals measure about 8 ft 2 in to 11 ft 6 in long and weigh 880 to 1,320 lb.
They are amongst the largest seals, with a rather bulky body and short fore flippers relative to their body length.
Leptonychotes weddellii or Weddell seals are commonly found on fast ice, or ice fastened to land, and gather in small groups around cracks and holes within the ice.
In the winter, they stay in the water to avoid blizzards, with only their heads poking through breathing holes in the ice.
These seals are often observed lying on their sides when on land. Leptonychotes weddellii or Weddell seals are non-migratory phocids that move regionally to follow the distribution of breathing holes and exit cracks within the ice changes between seasons.
The species is primarily restricted to Antarctic waters: physical factors, such as glacial movement and tidal action, may increase fluctuations in distributions.
Leptonychotes weddellii or Weddell seals are top predators in the Antarctic. They eat an array of fish, bottom-feeding prawns, cephalopods and crustaceans. A sedentary adult eats around 22 lb. a day, while an active adult eats over 110 lb. a day.
Antarctic cod and silverfish constitute the majority of their diet. Cephalopods are common prey, and crustacean remains are sometimes found in Weddell seal scat, but at much lower rates than other prey species.
They are opportunistic feeders that hunt in different parts of the water column depending on prey availability. Leptonychotes weddellii or Weddell seals hunt in both pelagic and benthic-demersal habitats.
