leopard seal is considered to be one of the most powerful, ferocious and dangerous Arctic predators.It belongs to the family of seals.Lives leopard seal in the Southern Ocean, up to the boundary of drifting ice, and all the Arctic seas.
Bloodthirsty marine predator not satisfied, like other seals, ice rookeries, preferring the company is proud of a great loneliness.That is why at first glance it may seem that this species of seal species not so much.But in fact, these predators are more than half a million.
seal-leopard looks very different from all other species of seals: his long serpentine body looks more elegant than its counterparts, and has virtually no fat thick.The presence in the jaws of a predator powerful two rows of sharp teeth and fangs makes clear that this animal eats mostly meat.
about strength and power also says his enormous weight and body length.And the females are much larger than males.By comparison, if an adult male in the three-meter length can "pull" at 280 kilograms, the female woodcocks reach four-meter length and weight more than four quintals!
head leopard seals have a slightly flattened, dark gray color, with lots of dark spots.The same color predators back and sides.But the belly is striking in its harsh white.Apparently, spot color seals and even, perhaps, his ferocity and prompted people to think to call it a leopard.
Preferring solitude , leopard seal only for a short period in the combined mating swarms.Moreover, these groups do not exceed 5 or 6 animals.Typically, the "honeymoon" leopard weddings falls in summer.But these days, dedicated to "Love", a fierce seal remains true to himself, because the process of fertilization of females without mating and courtship, right in the water.
female offspring is the future of eleven months, gives birth to cub tridtsatikilogrammovogo usually in early summer on the ice.By the way, the mother leopard seal is different abundance of affection for his five-foot baby: she feeds her baby milk a month, and then leaves him to his fate.
And, since months of age, baby leopard is forced to produce on their own in the water for food.However, the death of young animals hardly observed, these predators are so strong and invincible, even the very young cubs.
female mate for the first time can be as early as the age of three.Males to feel a "masculine", it takes a little more time - 4 years.Lives same leopard seal on average a quarter of a century.
main diet of sea predator up crustaceans, fish and cephalopods.But woe careless cub elephant seal or sea!Leopard, sometimes allowing himself to lie side by side with older individuals pinnipeds neighbors, and they will not think to spare the baby: friendship is friendship, and diet do not really want to break ...
course, sometimes fall to a predator to eat and birds.But most of all from the evil killer penguins suffer: as we know, they are not able to fly.
way, with regards tastes leopard seal.Some individuals choose for themselves only penguin diet, while others evince a preference young tyulenyatine.
But the worst thing - is that the man may be for this delicious dinner of sea beasts.Especially dangerous to be close to the ice edge.Leopard can suddenly jump out of the water and grab prey gaping.If the victim manages to escape from the tenacious teeth predator pursues her on the ice.
The water feels the leopard, they say, like a fish: over half an hour, he may be under her, and during the race can reach speeds of over 40 kilometers per hour, on zanyrivaya trёhsotmetrovuyu depth.
