No Rest For Momma Seals

Female harbor seals are busy mommas, so busy that they give birth to one pup every year.

 Picture from World Wildlife

The pups are fully developed and able to swim within a few hours of birth, but will depend on their mother’s milk for the first three to four weeks of life. After weaning, the female seal will mate again almost immediately to continue the annual birth cycle.

The Elephant Seal

Elephant seals are very large seals named for the trunk-like proboscis possessed by adult males. This appendage allows them to make loud roars during the mating season, and also reabsorbs moisture when they exhale. This second attribute is very important as during mating season the usually aquatic bulls will not leave the beach and must conserve as much body moisture as possible. 

There are two species of elephant seals; the northern elephant seal, which occupies the Pacific coast of Mexico, the United States and Canada, and the southern elephant seal, native to the southern hemisphere. Southern elephant seals are the larger of the two, with males reaching lengths of sixteen feet and weights of 6,600lbs. Females of both species are significantly smaller.

Elephant seals hold the distinction of being able to hold their breath longer than any other non-cetacean (non-whale) mammal, up to two hours! They are able to dive to depths of over 2,000 feet to hunt for a variety of prey such as sharks, rays, squid and penguins.

The Harbor Seal

Also known as the common seal, the harbor seal is described as a “true seal” because it has small flippers and can only move on land by flopping its body. Harbor seals live along the coastlines of most every continent in the Northern Hemisphere and have been spotted from Florida to the Arctic Circle. The most widely distributed of all seals, there is an estimated population of 500,000 harbor seals worldwide.

The harbor seal received its name because it usually does not venture very far away from the coast. Although they are capable of diving to over 1,500 feet and being underwater for up to 40 minutes, harbor seals prefer to stick to shallower waters and can even be found upstream in large rivers occasionally. They spend about half their time in the water and spend the remainder of the day “hauled-out”, which is another term for resting on shore. They usually choose a rocky coastline, sandy beach or ice-pack for their haul-out site depending on geographical location. Harbor seals are social animals and usually rest in groups, but they do not congregate in groups as large as some other types of seals.

The harbor seal is a carnivore and feeds on a variety of fish, octopus, squid, shrimp, crabs and mollusks and seabirds, all depending on the prey native to its environment. Although carnivorous and quite large, Harbor seals pose no threat to humans. While very capable swimmers, when hauled-out on land Harbor seals are very vulnerable and will often rush back into the water if approached. 

Once heavily hunted by people, the harbor seal is a protected animal in almost every nation now and its population is on the rebound. However, urbanization of coastal areas remains a threat to these animals. In order to rest and molt, harbor seals need to spend a lot of time out of the water, and if a human presence is detected they will often not haul out. If construction occurs at or near a usual haul-out spot, the seals will sometimes abandon it permanently, which could threaten their population.

Ferocious Leopard Seal

The leopard seal resembles the big, feisty cat it gets it name from because of the grayish spots it has on its coat; however, the similarities don't stop there. It is also the most feared hunter of all the seals, and the only one that goes after warm-blooded prey.

Diving Seals Take A Nap

When elephant seals migrate from California to the mid-Pacific and around Alaska, they can spend two to eight months without stopping. Because there's no land to bask in the sun on and the seabed is miles below the surface, scientists didn't know how they slept during this period. However, a new study shows that elephant seals may use their long dives — sometimes up to 984 feet — to take a little nap. During the dives, they lay back and allow themselves to sink.

Adopt a Crittercam Animal

Did you know that you can adopt a crittercam animal? Scientists learn how to protect endangered animals by studying their behaviors and the habitats they live in. And the only way to do that is by following them with a camera. Donate and watch a Humpback Whale, Elephant, Gray Seal, Loggerhead Turtle or White Shark in their environment. You can learn new animal behaviors and support scientific research with your donations. Check it out at NationalGeographic.com.

Red Ballons Fly...Out of a Nose

The hooded seal has a couple of very odd features. Males of this species have both an inflatable skull hood and a nasal balloon. These sacs inflate up to a foot or more in diameter whenever the seal is aroused, angered or just showing off. The nasal balloon is inflated through its nostrils and is a bright red color.

Don't Get Too Tired: The Weekend is Almost Here!

Happy Friday! If you’re a little tired from a long week’s work, you’re not alone! In fact, all animals yawn when they’re tired. So, check out these different examples of yawning — but beware! — it’s contagious.

Animal News: President Bush Designates New Marine Sanctuary in Hawaii

Today, President Bush extended the stronger federal protections to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to guard its endangered monk seals, nesting green sea turtles and other rare species that live in the area.

This new national monument covers an archipelago (chain of islands) that spans 1,400 miles long and 100 miles wide in the Pacific Ocean. This region is home to more than 7,000 species, one fourth of which cannot be found anywhere else. It is the largest no-take marine conservation area in the world, covering 140,000 square miles of largely uninhabited islands, atolls, coral reef colonies and underwater peaks (seamounts).

If you're looking to help protect marine animals, you can buy any of these animal themed card sets. A part of each purchase is donated to help with global conservation,promoting worldwide conservation, and protecting the survival of animals in captivity. The cards are made using soy-based inks and recycled paper.

Not really a whale…

Orcas, or killer whales, have striking black and white markings. You, like me, may have seen them perform at places like Sea World. Aren’t they beautiful?

Orca are carnivorous hunters and are sometimes called "the wolf of the sea." They prey on sea lions, elephant seals, harbor seals, porpoises, squid, sharks, fish, penguins, smaller whales, such as belugas and narwhals, and even large baleen whales.

Orca actually belong to the dolphin family. Warm blooded, males (bulls) average 19-22 feet and usually weigh between 8,000-12,000 pounds. Females (cows) are smaller, averaging 16-19 feet, weighing between 3,000-8,000 pounds.

Some day I’d like to be close enough to see one in the ocean. But for now this incredible video from National Geographic will have to do!


Jaw dropping,

Jane