20051207_HopeBay_0098

Weddell Seal at Hope Bay in Antarctica. Hope Bay on the Trinity Peninsula, is 5 km (3 mi) long and 3 km (2 mi) wide, indenting the tip of Antarctic Peninsula and opening on Antarctic Sound. The Weddell Seal is a true seal that occurs in large numbers and inhabits the circumpolar region of the southern hemisphere, including Antarctica. It is estimated that there are approximately 800,000 individuals today