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| The weddell seals, another 'true seal,' tend to
inhabit fast ice (ice attache to land) rather than swim amongst the
sea ice floes, but can be found as far north as Australia and New
Zealand. During the winter, they will keep a hole in the sea ice open
by gnawing it with their teeth. Weddell seals live on average up to
22 years but most commonly die when their teeth have been worn away
and they can no longer keep their breathing holes open. |
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Mottled belly
Deception Island
Weddell seals have distinctive mottled bellies and short squat
faces
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At bliss
Deception Island
Weddell seals are particularly vocal underwater and produce a constant
stream of whistles, tweets, growls, chirps and buzzes which can
be detected up to 30km away.
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Camouflage seal
Petermann Island
This seal, completely oblivious to me, blended so completely with
the rocks that I nearly stepped on it - pausing with my foot right
over its mottled belly! I hastily retreated, but it never even twitched
a whisker in acknowledgement of my presence...
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