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Which seal species breed almost exclusively in the Antarctic zone?
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Antarctica
Paradise Bay, Antarctica.
The four species of phocids (true seals) that breed almost exclusively in the Antarctic zone are:
- The Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii)1
- The crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophaga)1
- The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)1
- The Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossii)1
While other seals, such as the southern elephant seal, are found in the region, they typically breed near the Antarctic Convergence on subantarctic islands rather than within the Antarctic zone itself.1