The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is a large pinniped distributed in the Southern Ocean and adjacent subantarctic regions. Native populations are found along the coasts of Antarctica, South America, Oceania, and South Africa. It swims rapidly using its fore and hind limbs and uses sharp teeth to prey on penguins, fish, krill, and the young of other seals. It is mainly solitary, rests on ice floes or coastal ice, and is believed to breed in the water. Births are observed from spring to summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and the IUCN lists it as Near Threatened.