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First Underwater Photos of Elusive Ross Seal
7 Jan
Summary
- A Ross seal, the Antarctic's rarest true seal, has been photographed underwater for the first time.
- Underwater photographer Justin Hofman captured the historic images during a voyage to Antarctica.
- Ross seals inhabit dense pack ice and dive deep to hunt, making them incredibly difficult to study.
In a remarkable photographic achievement, the Ross seal, Antarctica's smallest and most elusive true seal, has been documented underwater for the first time. Underwater specialist Justin Hofman secured these groundbreaking images during a recent voyage aboard the National Geographic Resolution, which ventured further south in Antarctica than he had previously explored.
Hofman, who has spent 15 seasons in Antarctica, described his mission as curiosity-driven, acknowledging the rarity of even sighting a Ross seal. The species' habitat within dense pack ice and its deep-diving hunting habits make its life history poorly understood and sightings infrequent. These new images offer an unprecedented look at the animal in its natural, submerged environment.
Ross seals are found south of 60°S latitude and are known to dive to nearly 1000 feet, remaining submerged for over 20 minutes while hunting lanternfish, Antarctic silverfish, and squid. Their profound connection to the icy Antarctic waters and their adeptness at evading observation have historically limited research, underscoring the significance of Hofman's photographic success.
