Showing posts tagged seal
Big Brains May Help Baby Seals Survive Under Ice by Erik Stokstad Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) are the only mammal that dares to swim long distances under sea ice, traveling up to 20 kilometers in hour-long bursts as they scan for air holes and an eventual exit somewhere in the midst of vast Antarctic sheets. There, mothers give birth so that their pups will be safe from leopard seals and killer whales. But how do those pups learn to navigate the risky underwater terrain so quickly? They’re born with big brains, according to a study published online and in an upcoming issue of Marine Mammal Science… (read more: Science NOW) (image: Credit: Regina Eisert/SERC) View high resolution

Big Brains May Help Baby Seals Survive Under Ice

by Erik Stokstad

Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) are the only mammal that dares to swim long distances under sea ice, traveling up to 20 kilometers in hour-long bursts as they scan for air holes and an eventual exit somewhere in the midst of vast Antarctic sheets.

There, mothers give birth so that their pups will be safe from leopard seals and killer whales. But how do those pups learn to navigate the risky underwater terrain so quickly? They’re born with big brains, according to a study published online and in an upcoming issue of Marine Mammal Science…

(read more: Science NOW)

(image: Credit: Regina Eisert/SERC)

A rare Ribbon Seal (Histriophoca fasciata), adult male, Russia, Ozernoy Gulf. June, 2005. Photo: Michael Cameron, NOAA/NMFS/AKFSC/NMML. View high resolution

A rare Ribbon Seal (Histriophoca fasciata), adult male, Russia, Ozernoy Gulf. June, 2005.

Photo: Michael Cameron, NOAA/NMFS/AKFSC/NMML.

Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostis), a pup contemplating the circle of life, California, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photographer: Robert Schwemmer, CINMS, NOAA. View high resolution

Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostis), a pup contemplating the circle of life, California, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Photographer: Robert Schwemmer, CINMS, NOAA.

The Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi … is a critically endangered species of earless seal in the family Phocidae that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. They are solitary animals, like some monks. The Hawaiian monk seal is one of two remaining monk seal species; the other is the Mediterranean monk seal. A third species, the Caribbean monk seal, is extinct. The small population of about 1,100 individuals is threatened by human encroachment, very low levels of genetic variation, entanglement in fishing nets, marine debris, disease, and past commercial hunting for skins… (read more: Wikipedia)                      (photo: Kent Backman) View high resolution

The Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi

… is a critically endangered species of earless seal in the family Phocidae that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. They are solitary animals, like some monks. The Hawaiian monk seal is one of two remaining monk seal species; the other is the Mediterranean monk seal. A third species, the Caribbean monk seal, is extinct. The small population of about 1,100 individuals is threatened by human encroachment, very low levels of genetic variation, entanglement in fishing nets, marine debris, disease, and past commercial hunting for skins…

(read more: Wikipedia)                      (photo: Kent Backman)

A mesmerising and endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi) entrances passersby with its meditative spinning, at the Waikiki Aquarium, Hawaii.

(via: | vimeo)

Bearded seal spotted on Shetland Following the recent sighting of a walrus on the Orkney Islands a few weeks ago, a bearded seal, usually only found in the Arctic, has appeared on Shetland.The bearded seal has been seen intermittently over the last week or so, mostly near the salmon farm in Basta Voe, on the island of Yell… (read more: Wildlife Extra)           (photo: George Petrie) View high resolution

Bearded seal spotted on Shetland

Following the recent sighting of a walrus on the Orkney Islands a few weeks ago, a bearded seal, usually only found in the Arctic, has appeared on Shetland.The bearded seal has been seen intermittently over the last week or so, mostly near the salmon farm in Basta Voe, on the island of Yell…

(read more: Wildlife Extra)           (photo: George Petrie)

A bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) resting on melting sea ice beneath storm clouds in Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, Norway. The bearded seal is one of the two species of far-north seals that are victims of disappearing sea ice and dwindling snowpack in their Arctic habitat, and will be granted protections under the US Endangered Species Act, federal officials announced. (via: Guaradian UK)                             (photo: Alamy) View high resolution

A bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) resting on melting sea ice beneath storm clouds in Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, Norway. The bearded seal is one of the two species of far-north seals that are victims of disappearing sea ice and dwindling snowpack in their Arctic habitat, and will be granted protections under the US Endangered Species Act, federal officials announced.

(via: Guaradian UK)                             (photo: Alamy)

Harp Seal, Prince Edward Isld. Nat. Park, Canada This adorable newborn harp seal was left alone on sea-ice in Canada on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. At about three weeks old, the young pup was weaned but not quite ready to head out on its own, leaving it very vulnerable to predation. Harp seals are protected in the United States by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Although they are not considered endangered, as sea ice melting earlier and earlier each year, available harp seal breeding grounds are being lost in the North Atlantic and Arctic.  “Every March, up to 200,000 harp seal pups are born on sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In 2011, storms and lack of ice-cover due to a warmer winter climate resulted in hundreds of seal pups being washed up on the shore of Prince Edward Island. Like many, this young seal faced an uncertain future. Nearly three weeks old, it was weaned but not yet ready to swim on its own, leaving it vulnerable to predation or drowning. For me, this image expresses the vulnerability of not only this individual, but the entire harp seal population.” — Nature’s Best Photographer, John Sylvester (via: Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal) View high resolution

Harp Seal, Prince Edward Isld. Nat. Park, Canada

This adorable newborn harp seal was left alone on sea-ice in Canada on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. At about three weeks old, the young pup was weaned but not quite ready to head out on its own, leaving it very vulnerable to predation.

Harp seals are protected in the United States by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Although they are not considered endangered, as sea ice melting earlier and earlier each year, available harp seal breeding grounds are being lost in the North Atlantic and Arctic. 

“Every March, up to 200,000 harp seal pups are born on sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In 2011, storms and lack of ice-cover due to a warmer winter climate resulted in hundreds of seal pups being washed up on the shore of Prince Edward Island. Like many, this young seal faced an uncertain future. Nearly three weeks old, it was weaned but not yet ready to swim on its own, leaving it vulnerable to predation or drowning. For me, this image expresses the vulnerability of not only this individual, but the entire harp seal population.”

— Nature’s Best Photographer, John Sylvester

(via: Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal)

Two male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) clash over a harem on a sub-antarctic island. This photograph won the behavioral and physiological ecology category in the BMC Ecology photography contest of 2013. CREDIT: Laetitia Kernaleguen (via: Live Science) View high resolution

Two male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) clash over a harem on a sub-antarctic island.

This photograph won the behavioral and physiological ecology category in the BMC Ecology photography contest of 2013.

CREDIT: Laetitia Kernaleguen

(via: Live Science)

Baby Boom at American Zoos:  Harbor Seal A juvenile harbor seal had a rough start to life. Found off the coast of Delaware, he was suffering from abrasions and a severe respiratory infection. Thanks to round-the-clock care provided by dedicated staff at the National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program, he is now on the mend. He has been enjoying a hearty diet of smelt and herring fish. (via: Discovery News)     (photo: National Aquarium/MARP ) View high resolution

Baby Boom at American Zoos:  Harbor Seal

A juvenile harbor seal had a rough start to life. Found off the coast of Delaware, he was suffering from abrasions and a severe respiratory infection.

Thanks to round-the-clock care provided by dedicated staff at the National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program, he is now on the mend. He has been enjoying a hearty diet of smelt and herring fish.

(via: Discovery News)    
(photo: National Aquarium/MARP )
Seals or Sea Lions? Seals and sea lions have many similarities, and are in the same family, the Pinnipeds, but they lead very different lives. Seals are generally smaller than sea lions; male Stellar sea lions can grow to be up to 2,200 pounds. Seals also are suited to spend more time in the water than sea lions, which can “walk” on shore with their large flippers and spend time in large social groups. Another give-away is that sea lions have external ear flaps, whereas seals don’t have external ears—if you look closely you can see tiny ear holes. These two are sea lions. (See the ear flaps?)  (via: Smithsonian Ocean Portal)           (photo: Wildstanimal | Flickr) View high resolution

Seals or Sea Lions?

Seals and sea lions have many similarities, and are in the same family, the Pinnipeds, but they lead very different lives. Seals are generally smaller than sea lions; male Stellar sea lions can grow to be up to 2,200 pounds. Seals also are suited to spend more time in the water than sea lions, which can “walk” on shore with their large flippers and spend time in large social groups. Another give-away is that sea lions have external ear flaps, whereas seals don’t have external ears—if you look closely you can see tiny ear holes.

These two are sea lions. (See the ear flaps?) 

(via: Smithsonian Ocean Portal)           (photo: Wildstanimal | Flickr)

This Rare Fucking Seal Climbs onto Seattle Woman’s Dock by Andrea Mustain A Seattle resident recently got a big surprise when she discovered a strange-looking furry visitor on her property. “She woke up and it was lying on her dock, hanging out and sleeping — just chilling,” said Matthew Cleland, district supervisor in western Washington for the USDA’s Wildlife Services, and the recipient of a photo of the bizarre intruder. “I thought, ‘That’s an interesting-looking creature,’” Cleland told OurAmazingPlanet. “I had no idea what it was.” A quick glance through a book in his office soon revealed it was a ribbon seal, an Arctic species that spends most of its life at sea, swimming the frigid waters off Alaska and Russia… (read more: OurAmazingPlanet)                       (photo: LDA) View high resolution

This Rare Fucking Seal Climbs onto Seattle Woman’s Dock

by Andrea Mustain

A Seattle resident recently got a big surprise when she discovered a strange-looking furry visitor on her property.

“She woke up and it was lying on her dock, hanging out and sleeping — just chilling,” said Matthew Cleland, district supervisor in western Washington for the USDA’s Wildlife Services, and the recipient of a photo of the bizarre intruder.

“I thought, ‘That’s an interesting-looking creature,’” Cleland told OurAmazingPlanet. “I had no idea what it was.”

A quick glance through a book in his office soon revealed it was a ribbon seal, an Arctic species that spends most of its life at sea, swimming the frigid waters off Alaska and Russia…

(read more: OurAmazingPlanet)                       (photo: LDA)

A leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is seen in the port of Talcahuano near Concepcion city, some 311 miles south of Santiago, Chile, on August 24, 2012. The leopard seal from Antarctica was brought to a rescue center for marine animals after she was found injured, presumably hit by a small boat. (via: TakePart.org)                 (Photo: Jose Luis Saavedra/Reuters) View high resolution

A leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is seen in the port of Talcahuano near Concepcion city, some 311 miles south of Santiago, Chile, on August 24, 2012. The leopard seal from Antarctica was brought to a rescue center for marine animals after she was found injured, presumably hit by a small boat.

(via: TakePart.org)                 (Photo: Jose Luis Saavedra/Reuters)

Shark-eating seal among rare and ridiculously stunning scenes documented off South Africa

By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com

Chris and Monique Fallows have witnessed many extraordinary events while diving off South Africa.

But during two recent expeditions they captured wildly spectacular scenes that may never have been photographed: that of a voracious cape fur seal boldly snacking on large sharks; and dozens of blue sharks gathered around and gorging on an enormous ball of bait fish.

Of the former event, revealing the raw dynamics of the food chain, Chris Fallows said: “There were eight guests aboard our vessel, many of them seasoned wildlife enthusiasts. None had ever seen anything like this as sharks of this size are certainly not usually considered food for seals.

“In more than 2,000 expeditions working with sharks over the last 21 years, this is the only time I have ever seen a seal kill several sharks and I can find no record of such an event happening elsewhere.”

The seal consumed the stomach and livers of the first two sharks, before killing three others…

(via: GrindTV Blog)               (photos: Chris and Monique Fallows)

oceanportal: The largest of all seal species, the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) is found in chilly Antarctic and Subantarctic waters. The male seals dive as deep as 1,430 m (over 4,600 ft) and stay at depth for up to two hours. (Photo: Justin Hofman/Nature’s Best Photography) (via: Southern Elephant Seal, Gold Harbour, South Georgia | Ocean Portal | Smithsonian) View high resolution

oceanportal:

The largest of all seal species, the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) is found in chilly Antarctic and Subantarctic waters. The male seals dive as deep as 1,430 m (over 4,600 ft) and stay at depth for up to two hours.

(Photo: Justin Hofman/Nature’s Best Photography)

(via: Southern Elephant Seal, Gold Harbour, South Georgia | Ocean Portal | Smithsonian)

(Reblogged from oceanportal)