By Mahogany Waldon, Director of University Communications
In the vast and unforgiving waters of the Southern Ocean, where icebergs drift like sleeping giants and the wind carries the secrets of centuries, lives one of nature’s most elusive predators.
The leopard seal.
The catlike pinniped is best known as a threat to penguins and other antarctic wildlife, but its diet is also made up of krill and other marine crustaceans. A creature as mysterious as it is majestic, with reptilian head and the powerful, feline grace of a panther, the leopard seal has long evaded deep scientific understanding.
Until now.
At the heart of this scientific breakthrough is Dr. Carolina Bonin Lewallen, a marine mammalogist and researcher at Hampton University, whose work has propelled the scientific world’s understanding of this Antarctic apex predator into a new era.
The Marine Mammal Molecular Ecology lab (MAMMEL) is directed by Dr. Lewallen in the Marine and Environmental Sciences Department at Hampton University and involves collaborations throughout the United States and abroad, including the Kienle Lab at the University of Rhode Island as well as researchers in Germany, Chile and New Zealand.
Together, this research group prioritizes the study of leopard seal habitats, behaviors, adaptations, and conservation strategies. As part of these efforts, the MAMMEL group has recently published a high-quality genome for the species in a study led by Dr. Julia Canitz, a post-doctoral researcher at Hampton University.
In collaboration with an international team, including fellow Hamptonians, Dr. Bonin Lewallen directed work that resulted in the highest quality leopard seal genome available—work recently published in Frontiers in Genetics.
MAMMEL’s work to understand the leopard seal isn’t just a triumph for ecological science, but for Hampton University’s rising role in global research.
The Southern Ocean, Studied from the Shores of Hampton
From a campus known for its sweeping views of the Chesapeake Bay, Dr. Bonin Lewallen’s work has taken her and her team from the sandy shores of Coastal Virginia to the glacial lakes of Patagonia. This continent hopping scientist, along with colleagues near and far, has brought to life an area of focus that transcends what the world knows about the infamous leopard seal. Thanks to a new award from the National Science Foundation his research will continue to dive deep into the DNA of Hydrurga leptonyx, unlocking secrets of how this predator has evolved to dominate one of Earth’s most extreme environments.
Dr. Bonin Lewallen wants her team to participate in fieldwork whenever possible: “I believe it makes you a better scientist when you understand the context of where the animal exists,” said Dr. Bonin Lewallen. “Making a personal connection with the animal will increase your understanding of the species, and also your motivation for your work!”
While Antarctica is the prime location to study leopard seals, they are also found in regions like New Zealand, Australia, and Chile. For scientists like Dr. Bonin Lewallen, Chile, specifically Patagonia, offers a more accessible and temperate environment, making research on the species more feasible.
The Genomic Blueprint of a Legend
The newly published reference genome of the leopard seal is only the beginning. MAMMEL prepares to dive deeper into the genome of the leopard seal thanks to new funding from NSF to further explore the leopard seal genome. This ongoing exploration should reveal a treasure trove of information: genes linked to thermal regulation, deep-diving capability, and hormones. Comparative genomics will further uncover how the leopard seal diverged from its closest relatives, the Weddell and crabeater seals, a few million years ago. Its solitary lifestyle, hunting prowess, and complex vocalizations all speak to an evolutionary path marked by remarkable adaptations that are encoded and preserved in the species DNA and will be fully explored thanks to Dr. Lewallen and her colleagues.
A Seal, a Story, and a Scientific Legacy
Hampton University, an institution with a legacy of excellence and resilience, is now a national leader in wildlife genomics. Dr. Lewallen and her team’s research positions Hampton not only at the forefront of marine biology but also as a key contributor in climate-related conservation science.
“This is more than a scientific achievement—it’s a platform for the next generation of HBCU marine researchers, conservationists, and environmental leaders,” says Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams. “It’s about asking bold questions and expanding the story of who gets to do this kind of work.”
Dr. Lewallen’s students (many of whom hail from communities historically underrepresented in marine sciences) are already mapping the next frontier, inspired by a predator who has thrived in silence and solitude, and a research team who dared to decode its world.
A Song from the Ice
In a time when polar environments are warming and species are vanishing; this work is more than academic. It’s urgent. The leopard seal, one of the sentinels of the Antarctic, may hold answers about how life adapts (or disappears) under pressure.
This species, like the many students who have graced the campus of Hampton University, is letting its life do the singing, as the University’s famous alma mater suggests.
* This study adheres to the guidelines granted by the Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, United States under the National Marine Fisheries Service Permits # 26767 and Chile permits SUBPESCA PINV E-2022-394; Autorización N. XI-21-2022*
