Marty’s photo of the day #2630: It’s “Animals A thru Z Month.” Each day in August, I will post an animal I’ve photographed—somewhere in the world—in alphabetical order.

S is for Seal. Female Antarctic fur seals weigh up to 150 pounds and males up to 460 pounds. Antarctic fur seals were hunted to near extinction, as sealers slaughtered them for their luxurious coats. After witnessing how unconcerned fur seals were with humans, I could only imagine what it was like when they were brutally massacred: one day a pristine beach would be covered with seals and the next it would be covered with blood. Fortunately, international protection arrived before total extinction, and Antarctic fur seals have made a remarkable comeback. (Photographed off the coast of Antarctica)