Seal Facts
Seals are mammals. This means that they have fur, are born live, and drink milk when they are babies. It also means that they are warm-blooded.
Warm-blooded animals, like seals and other mammals, are able to regulate their internal body temperature, regardless of how cold it is outside.
Even if they are swimming in icy waters, a seal’s internal temperature will remain the same.
Are seals mammals?
Seals are semiaquatic mammals. This means that while they spend most of their lives in the water, they will come onto the land on occasion. This is done mostly to rest, mate, and birth their young.
Seals will also come onto land to escape from predators. These predators include such animals as sharks, killer whales, and other seals.
Seals will also use the water to escape from predators such as polar bears.
Seals do not have any legs. Instead, they have four flippers. These flippers allow them to glide gracefully through the water.
They are, unfortunately, rather clumsy on the land because of their lack of legs.
How many types of seals are there?
There are about 33 different kinds of seals. They can be found in pretty much every type of salt-water in the world. This includes both warm and cold bodies of water.
Seals have a thick layer of fat under their skin to help keep them warm as they dive deep into the ocean for food. This thick layer of fat is called blubber. They are covered with a smooth fur coat, which allows them to glide easily through the water.
Though seals have good eyesight, they do not rely on their eyes alone when they are searching for food.
A seal’s whiskers are very sensitive, and allow them to detect prey in murky water.
Seals can live for a pretty long time in the wild. The oldest seals found in the wild were about 30 years old, though 25 years is more common. Females usually live longer than males.
Seals come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The smallest kind of seal is the eared Galapagos fur seal, which is only three feet long and 100 pounds.
The largest seal, the elephant seal, can be up to 16 feet long and weigh over 7,000 lbs.
What do seals eat?
All seals are carnivorous. This means that they only eat different kinds of meat. This could include fish, shellfish, squid, crabs, seabirds, penguins, and even other seals.
There are some species of seal that can hold their breath for over two hours under the water. They are able to accomplish this amazing feat by slowing down their heart to save oxygen.
Male seals are called bulls and females are called cows. A seal cow will give birth once a year to a calf.
These calves are usually born in the same place that their mother was born.
