Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 14:25
Forums
Oden Antarctic Expedition 08

hi mr.penesston how many seal are antarctica and  when you get a picter of pegwines and seals put it on your photo gallery

Wed, 10/29/2008 - 16:05

Jeff Peneston

Thanks for the question and remember it is more fun for me to answer a question if I know your name.
I don't know exactly how many seals there are in Antarctica but I do know that seal researchers try to estimate the numbers of each type of seal.  I also know that the crabeater seal is the most common seal in the world and some estimates are that perhaps 15 million crabeaters live on the sea ice around Antarctica!  That would mean that over half of all the seals in the world are Antarctic crabeater seals.  So you can see why it is so important that the Swedish scientists aboard the Oden want to learn more about the health and disease resistance of this and other seal species.
Yes, I will put lots of seal (and other animal) photos on my journal when I get to see them on my upcoming trip.
Take care and keep the questions coming!
Jeff Peneston