Leopard Seal

Leopard seals, apex predators in Antarctic ecosystems, are increasingly studied using automated image recognition techniques to overcome the limitations of traditional, labor-intensive monitoring methods. Current research focuses on developing and refining machine learning algorithms, including vision transformers, to accurately identify and re-identify individual seals from photographic data, addressing challenges posed by variations in seal pose and image quality. This improved ability to monitor leopard seal populations is crucial for understanding their ecological roles and the overall health of Antarctic environments. The development of publicly available datasets, like the SealID dataset for ringed seals, further facilitates the advancement of these automated identification systems.