Crabeater Seal

The crabeater seal is a medium-sized, light-coloured seal with a gentle, dog-like muzzle. Its fur ranges from silver-grey to creamy white, often patterned with subtle spots or rings along the sides. Beneath their unassuming appearance lies a remarkable adaptation, specialised, sieve-like teeth perfectly designed for filtering krill from the frigid Antarctic waters. Many crabeater seals bear scars from encounters with leopard seals, which commonly prey on their pups.

Diet and Behaviour

Crabeater seals are highly specialised feeders, relying mainly on Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) for sustenance. This krill-rich diet gives their faeces a distinctive pink-red colour, which often stains the ice or snow where they haul out. Although krill dominates their menu, around 10% of their diet also includes fish and squid.

They are accomplished divers, typically hunting at depths of 20–50 metres, but capable of descending to an impressive 600 metres when needed. Most dives last under 10 minutes, though they can extend to 24 minutes in search of prey.

While they are often seen alone or in small groups of 1–3 individuals, crabeater seals are also known to gather in vast numbers, with haul-out groups occasionally reaching 1,000 seals. Adults and subadults undergo their annual moult in January and February.

Breeding Cycle 

Between September and December, pregnant females haul out alone on the ice to give birth. A single pup is usually born in the second half of October. The male remains nearby until the female is ready to mate, typically 1–2 weeks after birth. Mating is believed to take place in the water.

Pups are weaned after just three weeks, having quickly built up a thick layer of blubber for insulation. Crabeater seals have an average lifespan of 30–40 years.