Page 85 - World of Animals - Book of Sharks & Ocean Predators

Seals
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Seals can live for more
than 45 years, with females
typically having a longer life
span than males
The southern elephant seal is
the largest of all pinnipeds,
weighing up to a massive
3,855kg (8,500lb)
Crabeater seals are the
most abundant seal species,
with an estimated 75 million
living on the planet
California sea lions are the
fastest member of the family
and are able to swim at
40km/h (25mph) in short
‘sprinting’ bursts
Mothers produce 50 per cent fat milk Seals have a higher hearing
Female seals produce milk that is 50 per cent
fat to feed their newborns. By guzzling this fatty threshold than humans,
milk, seal pups are able to gain 2kg (5lb) every meaning they can hear
day until they are large enough to learn to hunt. higher-pitched sounds than
we can

Seals blow An elephant seal’s
bubbles blood has an unusually
Getting the attention of a female high concentration of
is a challenge for male seals, carbon-monoxide gas
and they use sounds to tell their
neighbours that they are the that could help control
best seal around. Rather than their buoyancy and
barking like a sea lion, seals make
growling sounds to communicate protect their lungs.
about their quality as a mate
and to warn other males away.
Creating loud splashes by Monk seals are violent
slapping the water’s surface With a combination of massive weight
and blowing bubbles while and the instinct to mate, male monk
submerged also attract females seals injure and even occasionally kill
to a prime male seal. females when trying to mate with
them. These seals mob females while
their blood is surging with testosterone,
unfortunately sometimes leaving the
females injured or even killed.
Elephant seals can hold their breath for two hours
Weddell seals can hold their breath for 80 minutes, only
surfacing when they spot a hole in the Antarctic ice above
them. The true masters are elephant seals that can hold
their breath for up to two hours while diving.

There are 33 members of © Thinkstock, Dreamsitme
the pinniped family and Ringed seals are the smallest
Ringed seals are the smallest
these are split up into three
member of the family with body
groups; the true seals that lengths of just over 1m (3 ), with the
include harp and leopard smallest weighing only 50kg (110lb).
seals; the eared seal group These are the most common seals
in the Arctic and make up more than
with sea lions and fur seals;
60 per cent of a polar bear’s diet.
and walruses that make up
the third group
Female seals flock to the
strongest male seals during
mating season. These groups
of females are called harems,
and a single male seal gets to
have his choice of up to 50
of these females in any given
mating season

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