Seal | Facts & Information

Seals (Phocidae) are mammals that belong to the order of the pinnipeds and are grouped into three large families: otarids (among which we mention otarias and sea lions), phocids (meaning seals proper, also divided into numerous races and subrasses) and walruses.

They have whiskers with rare but very long hairs, and a muzzle that brings little to that of a puppy, which makes them sympathetic. Most breeds live in those maritime areas close to the shore, where they find fish in abundance.

Most often, seals can be found in the polar and subpolar regions, but they also live in other areas with a warmer climate.

Seal Food

It is a Marine carnivore. It has dog-like teeth, but no carnation.

The seal spends a good part of its time in the ocean water, where it dives up to 100 meters deep to find crabs and shrimps, which it feeds with great pleasure, along with fish, which still constitute its basic food.

Seal Appearance

The most common is the common (or common) seal, also called the Sea Dog, which lives in the cold waters of the Arctic areas.

Its color varies from black with white spots to different shades of gray. This seal spends a good part of its time in the ocean water, where it dives up to 100 meters deep to find crabs and shrimps, which it feeds with great pleasure, along with fish, which still constitute its basic food.

The common seal can stay underwater for half an hour, but then it must come out to the surface to breathe. This time is not a record for seals, however, other species can last even longer underwater.

When it comes to the surface, it only takes a few seconds to breathe fresh air. This is done through a tiny hole at the top of the head. As mammals, seals do not breathe through their gills, like fish, but through their lungs, like land animals.

When the seal plunges into the water, the nostrils and ear holes close.

Seal Behavior

After hunting, seals return to the surface of the water and form groups on land that can sometimes number tens or even hundreds of specimens.

These seals are sometimes found in the less salty waters of Canada and Alaska, such as the Saint Laurent River estuary, or in various lakes and lagoons, which shows that they are highly adaptable and can live even in fresh waters.

When they are in danger, these seals make some specific sounds, and maybe that's why they were also called Sea Wolves. The seal is very agile and playful, being able to swim on its back, like dolphins.

The Sea Elephant is a true curiosity of nature, due to its gigantic size: five meters long and over a ton weight! Thus, he is the largest seal in the world.

It owes its name as a sea elephant to both its impressive size and its appearance, having its snout extended into a kind of trunk. Another curiosity is that fat represents no less than a third of its weight.

But this becomes as normal as possible if we think about what low temperatures these animals live in. At birth, a baby sea elephant weighs around fifty kilograms and is covered with thick black fur.

In a few weeks, he will triple his weight. The Sea Elephant is usually peaceful, but can become aggressive when it feels in distress.

Seal Breeding

Mating takes place in the water, with several males chasing a female, who defends herself at first by biting. After mating partners break up. The gestation period lasts 11 months.

Puppies are born in winter, and due to frost, many of them die immediately after birth. They have a weight of 10 kg and about 85 cm.

In general, the seal gives birth to a baby that it feeds on the milk produced by the mothers for 5 weeks after which it leaves him and he is forced to fend for himself.

Although they are small and helpless at birth, in a few months they grow large enough to venture into the dangerous waters of the ocean. Seals live an average of 30 to 35 years.