Crabeater Seal (Lobodon carcinophaga), Antarctic Peninsula
The crabeater seal is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of Antarctica. They are by far the most abundant seal species in the world. While population estimates are uncertain, there are at least 7 million and possibly as many as 75 million individuals. This success of this species is due to its specialized predation on the abundant Antarctic krill of the Southern Ocean, for which it has uniquely adapted, sieve-like tooth structure.
Year: 2016
From album: Antarctic Biodiversity
Photographer: Peter Prokosch