Because of its tendency to live on heavy pack ice where ships cannot pass, little is known about this species. What is known is they're nearly as large as Leopard Seals. Females Ross Seals can reach 11 feet in length (3.3 meters) and weight an average of 420 pounds (190 kilos). As with most Antarctic seals,males tend to be smaller.
Ross Seals are identified by the short heads and rather large eyes. Also, there often are strips starting at the chin and running along the sides of the neck to the chest. Their diet consists mainly of fish and squid, although they're not opposed to eating other invertebrates. Due to the lack of knowledge about them as well as their infrequent sightings, Ross Seals are protected under the Antarctic Treaty.