Leopard seals are apex predators of the Antarctic pack ice whose welfare in the wild is shaped by climate change, fishery interactions, and the pressures on their prey species.
Leopard seal welfare in the wild is primarily threatened through ecosystem-level changes. Climate warming is reducing Antarctic sea ice, which leopard seals depend on for resting, pupping, and accessing prey. As ice extent declines, energy expenditure for resting and thermoregulation increases while prey availability may become less predictable. Industrial krill fishing in the Southern Ocean directly competes with leopard seals' foundational food source — a welfare concern at the population scale. Occasional entanglement in fishing gear causes injuries and mortality. Leopard seals that appear on populated southern coastlines sometimes face human harassment or approach by well-meaning but uninformed observers, which can cause severe stress. When wild seals haul out near human settlements, the correct response is to observe from a distance and contact wildlife authorities rather than approaching.