Adult female leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) hauled out on ice at Brown Bluff near the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

leopard seal hydrurga leptonyx antarctic peninsula brown bluff ice polar regions marine mammal wildlife resting fur antarctic animal behavior seal habitat cold environment coastal ice sea life natural setting female seal characteristics wildlife observation arctic ecosystem large seal spotted fur marine ecosystem animal resting seal behavior cold weather animal adaptation wildlife conservation biodiversity natural beauty seal population remote locations antarctic conditions species identification ecological balance aquatic mammal solitary seal warm fur seal anatomy nature's patterns animal physiology wildlife education ecological research