How Much Does a Seal Weigh

How much does a seal weigh? The weight of a seal varies from species to species, with around 25 species in all. The sex of the seal will also affect how much a particular seal can weigh. In general, however, tiny seals may weigh under 200 pounds while large seals can weigh as much as 8,000.

Here are the weights of a few different seals so you can better understand how much a seal weighs:

• The polar seals that live in Antarctica carry more weight because they require more warmth.
• Full grown arctic seals, namely fur seals, can weigh as much as 350 to 375 pounds, depending on the time of year.
• The leopard seal, which is another arctic seal, can grow to a length of over 11 to 12 feet long from nose to tail and weigh up to 1,300 pounds.
• Another arctic seal, the Ross seal, reaches a weight of just under 500 pounds when fully grown.

These are the fully grown weights of the female seals, as the weights and sizes of most male seals are slightly smaller than their female counterparts. 

What About the Largest Seal?

The largest seal by a long shot is the Southern elephant seal, which dives deeply into the ocean feeding on squid and other fish.  This particular seal grows to a length of just over 15 feet and weighs in at an astonishing 8,000 pounds. 

What About the Small Ones?

In contrast to the gigantic elephant seal, the Ringed seal, which lives primarily in Alaska, only reaches a length of 5 feet at its longest and weighs roughly 150 pounds.