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| Crabeater seals are Antarctic true
seals, like their Antarctic cousins, the Leopard
seal, Weddell seal, southern Elephant
seal and Ross seal. They are about 2m in length and have
a cocker spaniel-type nose. Their streamlined bodies are designed
for a life in the Antarctic ocean with a thick blubber layer to protect
them from the freezing waters and ice of the South Pole. However,
they are not very graceful on land, tend to 'hump' along like caterpillars. |
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Basking in the sunshine
Cuverville Island
Crabeater seals have only one foe in Antarctica - the Leopard
seal! Adult crabeater seals often have scars on them
where they have had a tussle with a Leopard seal in their youth.
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Wet and Dry
Neko Harbour Ice Floe
When not in the water, Crabeater seals often pull out on ice floes
to rest. When they first emerge from the water, their fur is a dark
colour, but as they dry out, their fur turns a light grey colour.
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Resting with a view
Paradise Bay
Crabeater seals are the most beautiful seal seen in the Antarctic
Peninsula. Most seals would haul out on ice floes with the greatest
abundance being within about 1km of the sea ice/open sea boundary.
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