Facts: The Crabeater Seal

Crab eater seals have a circumpolar distribution. They spend their entire lives in the pack ice zone surrounding Antarctica, resting, breeding, and molting on the pack ice, and feeding in the surrounding water. They can move large distances through the pack ice, due to both active movement and passive movement on drifting ice flows. They generally move southwards in spring and northwards in autumn, with the seasonal contraction and expansion of the pack ice. They are believed to be the most abundant of all seal species, with an estimated population of about 15 million. Crab eater seals are frequently encountered alone or in small groups of up to three on the ice or in the water. Much larger groups of up to 1,000 individuals hauled out together have been observed. Crab eater seals have a long snout and their body is slender. The color of their fur ranges from dark brown to silver above. Despite their name, they do not feed on crabs. They feed primarily on Antarctic krill. Small amounts of fish and squid are also part of their diet. Feeding occurs primarily at night. Crab eater seals have specially adapted teeth with extra projections to gulp in seawater and strain out the krill. They are capable of diving to depths down to over 820 ft, but usually feed within the upper 65 ft of the water column. They can dive continuously for periods up to 16 hours. During the breeding season, from September to December, crab eater seals form family groups consisting of a female, her pup, and a male who guards the female from other males until she completes lactation. Following weaning, the male and female form a mated pair. Before this happens, an adult female hauls out singly on an ice floe where she gives birth. She is joined by a male shortly after. Births occur mainly during the second half of October. Newborn pups are about 3.5 ft long. Pups are born with a soft, wooly coat that is grayish brown in color. Pups molt this newborn coat around the time they are weaned, growing a new coat similar to that of adults. The pup is weaned 2 to 4 weeks after birth. Leopard seals are a major predator of crab eater seals, especially of young pups. Most adult crab eater seals have large scars as a result of unsuccessful attacks from leopard seals when they were younger. Adult and subadult crab eater seals molt in January and February. The seals can live up to 40 years. Males and females are similar in size, reaching lengths over 8 ft. Occasionally, crab eater seals are found along the southern fringes of South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa, but such sightings are not common. For more marine facts, click the SUBSCRIBE button!!