Date: June 5, 2018
Source: British Antarctic Survey
Scientists from British Antarctic
Survey (BAS) have, for the first time, tracked the lives of leopard seals as
they migrate around Antarctica. The team followed these formidable predators as
they move from the frozen Antarctic sea-ice to the more northerly sub-Antarctic
islands where they prey on penguins, seals and krill. The study is published
this week (Tuesday 5 June) in the journal PLOS ONE.
During the harsh polar winter,
leopard seals are regularly sighted on islands such as South Georgia, where BAS
scientists have studied them for over 20 years. However, very little is known
about their behaviour during the long Antarctic night.
Seal ecologist Dr Iain Staniland,
lead author of the study says:
"Leopard seals are
notoriously difficult to study because they live and hunt in inaccessible
places: they are relatively scarce, lead solitary lives and live mostly in the
water or 'hauled out' on sea ice around Antarctica.
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