Editing Leopard seal (section)

==Distribution==
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Leopard seals are [[pagophilic]] ("ice-loving") seals, which primarily inhabit the Antarctic [[drift ice|pack ice]] between [[50 degrees south|50˚S]] and [[80 degrees south|80˚S]]. Higher densities of leopard seals are seen in [[West Antarctica]] than in other regions.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Southwell, C.|author2=Bengtson, J.|author3=Bester, M.|author4=Schytte Blix, A.|author5=Bornemann, H.|author6=Boveng, P.|author7=Cameron, M.|author8=Forcada, J.|author9=Laake, J.|year=2012|title=A review of data on abundance, trends in abundance, habitat use and diet of ice-breeding seals in the Southern Ocean.|journal=CCAMLR Science|volume=19|pages=1–26|author10=Nordøy, E.|author11=Plötz, J.|author12=Rogers, T.|author13=Southwell, D.|author14=Steinhage, D.|author15=Stewart, B.S.|author16=Trathan, P}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Forcada, J.|author2=Trathan, P.|author3=Boveng, Boyd|author4=I., Burns|author5=J., Costa|author6=D., Fedak|author7=M., Rogers|author8=T., Southwell, C.|year=2012|title=Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing.|journal=Biological Conservation|volume=149|issue=1|pages=40–50|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2012.02.002|bibcode=2012BCons.149...40F |s2cid=7892053 |url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1337&context=usdeptcommercepub|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Most leopard seals remain within the pack ice throughout the year and remain solitary during most of their lives with the exception of a mother and her newborn pup.<ref>{{cite journal|author= Rogers, T.L.|author2= Hogg, C.|author3= Irvine, A.|name-list-style= amp |year=2005|title= Spatial movement of adult leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in Prydz Bay, Eastern Antarctica. |journal= Polar Biology |volume=28|issue=6|pages= 456–463|doi=10.1007/s00300-004-0703-4|bibcode= 2005PoBio..28..456R|s2cid= 22535400}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite journal|author= Meade, J.|author2= Ciaglia, M.B.|author3= Slip, D.J.|author4= Negrete, J.|author5= Márquez M.E.I., Rogers, T. |year=2015|title= Spatial patterns in activity of leopard seals Hydrurga leptonyx in relation to sea ice.|journal= Marine Ecology Progress Series |volume=521|pages= 265–275|doi=10.3354/meps11120|bibcode=2015MEPS..521..265M|s2cid= 87706193|doi-access= free}}</ref> These matrilineal groups can move further north in the austral winter to sub-antarctic islands and the coastlines of the southern continents to provide care for their pups.<ref name=":1" /> While solitary animals may appear in areas of lower latitudes, females rarely breed there. Some researchers believe this is due to safety concerns for the pups.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Margot |title=Odds against St Kilda leopard seal pup |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/odds-against-st-kilda-leopard-seal-pup |access-date=2020-07-25 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=2017-09-27}}</ref> 

The estimated population of this species ranges from 220,000 to 440,000 individuals, putting leopard seals at "[[Least-concern species|Least Concern]]".<ref name=":1" /> Although there is an abundance of leopard seals in the Antarctic, they are difficult to survey by traditional audiovisual techniques{{Contradictory inline|date=May 2025}} as they spend long periods of time vocalizing under the water’s surface during the austral spring and summer, when audiovisual surveys are carried out.<ref>{{cite journal|author= Southwell, C.|author2= Paxton, C.|author3= Borchers, D.|author4= Boveng, P. Rogers, T.|author5= de la Mare, W.|name-list-style= amp|year=2008|title= Uncommon or cryptic? Challenges in estimating leopard seal abundance by conventional but state-of-the-art methods |journal= Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers |volume=55|issue=4|pages= 519–531|doi=10.1016/j.dsr.2008.01.005|bibcode= 2008DSRI...55..519S}}</ref> This habit of submarine vocalizing makes leopard seals naturally suited for acoustic surveys, as are conducted with [[cetaceans]], allowing researchers to gather most of what is known about them.<ref name="Rogers TL, Ciaglia MB, Klinck H, Southwell C 2013 e52542">{{cite journal|vauthors=Rogers TL, Ciaglia MB, Klinck H, Southwell C |year=2013|title= Density Can Be Misleading for Low-Density Species: Benefits of Passive Acoustic Monitoring|journal= PLOS ONE |volume=8|issue=1|pages= e52542|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0052542|pmid=23326339|pmc=3541380|bibcode=2013PLoSO...852542R|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Sightings of [[Vagrancy (biology)|vagrant]] leopard seals have been recorded on the coasts of [[Geraldton]], Western Australia, multiple locales in New Zealand,{{efn|Where individuals have even been seen on the foreshores of major cities such as [[Auckland]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/seals/leopard-seal/|title=Leopard seal|website=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]]|language=en-nz|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> [[Dunedin]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/leopard-seal-sightings-new-zealand-rise|title=Leopard seal sightings in New Zealand on the rise|last=MacLean|first=Hamish|date=2019-01-19|website=[[Otago Daily Times]] |language=en|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> and [[Wellington]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/antarctic-leopard-seal-turns-up-on-wellingtons-lyall-bay-beach/EZ6YTOJO644N5LF5NZNTXUMCRE/|title=Antarctic Leopard seal turns up on Wellington's Lyall bay beach}}</ref>}} South America, and South Africa.<ref name=":1" /> Fossil evidence suggests that leopard seals were present in South Africa during the [[Late Pleistocene]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Avery, G.|author2=Klein, R.G.|year=2011|title=Review of fossil phocid and otariid seals from the southern and western coasts of South Africa|journal=Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa|volume=66|issue=1|pages=14–24|doi=10.1080/0035919X.2011.564490|bibcode=2011TRSSA..66...14A }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Oster, S.|author2=Reynard, J.P.|author3=Cawthra, H.C.|author4=Esteban, I.|author5=Pargeter, J.|author6=Fisher, E.C.|year=2024|title=Late Pleistocene and Holocene fauna from Waterfall Bluff Rock Shelter, Mpondoland, South Africa|journal=South African Journal of Science|volume=120|issue=11/12|doi=10.17159/sajs.2024/17449|doi-access=free}}</ref>