(Crabeater, Leopard, Ross and Weddell are the different species that live there)
2007-03-15 07:47:57 · 5 answers · asked by ? 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
I don't need the EXACT number - I just want a rough figure. I will choose a best answer! :)
2007-03-15 08:00:42 · update #1
There are estimated to be between 8 and 50 million crabeater seals alone (probably around 15 million) - making it the second highest population of large mammals on the planet (the highest being humans, of course).
Crabeater seals feed on the abundant krill that grow in the fertile oceans around the Antarctic. Since this is the same food resource utilized by great whales, they may have benefited from the decline in whale populations in the past centuries.
There are estimated to be around 750,000 Weddell's seals, 150,000-220,000 Ross seals and between 220,000-440,000 leopard seals.
Populations of these critters are sometimes difficult to estimate, since they live in remote, inhospitable regions that are not conducive to easy field research.
2007-03-15 07:59:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You forgot the southern elephant seal. These breed on many of the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands and often come ashore on the mainland. There are probably more than a million of those.
2007-03-15 15:55:36 · answer #2 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Check out this link:
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/education/pinnipeds/seals.htm
Hope it helps abit x
2007-03-15 15:01:16 · answer #3 · answered by vixwood1979 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it changes all the time some get born some get eaten
2007-03-15 14:52:22 · answer #4 · answered by scotty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hold on brb, ill just go count them for you ;o)
2007-03-15 14:56:56 · answer #5 · answered by *Claire* 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋