Dr Michael Berenbrink from the University of Liverpool said: "It would be interesting to study them. Whether obvious or hidden, physical attributes allow northern elephant seals to excel in the deep marine environment and to coexist with other seals and sea lions in the eastern North Pacific. [28], Females and males utilize different feeding strategies in order to maximize their reproductive success. When he was found, Coolio was very malnourished, and had sustained injuries to his eyes.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'animals_net-banner-1','ezslot_0',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-animals_net-banner-1-0'); While he nearly made a full recovery, Coolios eyes were permanently damaged, and he was deemed non-releasable. The proboscis overhangs their lower lip by about 8 inches. [11] They can also slow down their metabolism while performing deep dives. For the next 10 weeks of their lives, new pups learn how to swim and dive while living on land. Pinniped phylogeny and a new hypothesis for their origin and dispersal. They tend to remain loyal to their colony, returning to their established breeding area each year. Arctocephalus pusillus, South African fur seal Northern elephant seals can become entangled in fishing gear, either swimming off with the gear attached or becoming anchored and possibly drown if they cannot reach the surface to breathe. Elephant seal image courtesy of David Smith, UCMP. Mirounga angustirostris, northern elephant seal a non-random sample of the genes in the original population. Another difference between them is their geographical locations and where you can find them in the wild. 5 min read. One reason the African elephant has enormous ears is to help dissipate its internal body heat. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? Just To Give You An Idea Of How Big They Are, This Male Weighs Around 3000lbs Image source: hootersbutwithcats #2 I Have Severely Underestimated The Size Of A Moose Image source: afriendlyuncle #3 I Never Knew What Absolute U N I T S Clydesdales Are Until I Saw This Picture Image source: reddit.com But these massive pinnipeds aren't called elephant seals because of their size. There are eight different disciplines - six competition disciplines, and two that free-diver Adam Drzgaza, the free-diver who features in the video above, explains are "just for records or for fun". Phocini Phylum: | Chordata Hydrurga leptonyx, leopard seal Sexual dimorphism is one way that living things economize on the use of available resources. - and he did! I'm a northern During breeding season, Northern elephant seals inhabit sandy beaches, both on offshore islands and on some parts of the mainland United States. The differences in form between females and males of the same species is called sexual dimorphism. "As you dive deeper your chest starts to collapse, making it more difficult to get air from your lungs back to your mouth to equalise," he says. Consulting with federal agencies to ensure proposed actions are unlikely to harm elephant seals due to the effects of entanglement in fishing gear or other stressors. Clade: | Pinnipedia at Salisbury Plain (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands). [10], Males arrive at potential breeding sites in spring, and fast to ensure that they can mate with as many females as possible. They have a more streamlined body and move easily in the water. Social vs. medical egg freezing: Whats the difference? ELEPHANT SEAL VS WALRUS - Who would win this deadly struggle? Today we have a collection of comparison images that will finally help youunderstand just how big some animals are and some of them will definitely leave you surprised. They move like an inchworm by pulling their heavy bodies forward with strong front flippers. Northern elephant seal bulls reach a length of 4.3 to 4.8m (14 to 16ft) and the heaviest weigh about 2,500kg (5,500lb). The videos above show how a highly trained free-diver compares in breath-holding ability to a common seal. Sure, we know that animals like lions or moose are pretty big and weve all have seen pictures ofthem before,however, its hard to understand their true size without having anything to compare them with. Adults return to their feeding areas again between the spring/summer molt and the winter breeding season. Walrus vs Elephant Seal: Lifespan They battle other males for mating dominance. In Mexico, the northern elephant seal is protected in the Guadalupe Island Biosphere Reserve where it was rediscovered after being believed to be extinct. Thank you for reading! When molting occurs, the seal is susceptible to the cold, and must rest on land, in a safe place called a "haul out". The female elephant seals and the male elephant seals have different hunting routines. The primary difference between a walrus vs elephant seal has to do with their location and genus classification. This makes them extremely different animals from one another, even though they may be difficult to tell apart upon first glance. Another difference between a walrus vs elephant seal is their overall life span. Harbor seal in Maine rests on the beach. They breathe air like humans and other mammals, reptiles and birds, but they spend most of their time at sea. WildCiencias 435K subscribers. Otariinae/Arctocephalinae The elephant seal has a number of interesting and distinguishing characteristics.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'animals_net-medrectangle-4','ezslot_14',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-animals_net-medrectangle-4-0'); The Northern elephant seal species lives offshore in the open ocean most of the year. However, it is not known which language this represents. Though a complete population count of elephant seals is not possible because all age classes are not ashore at the same time, a 2005 study of the California breeding stock estimated approximately 124,000 individuals. Photo credit: Marine Mammals of Maine. Mr Sietas did hold another free-diving world record for the longest underwater swim on one breath until that was broken by Goran Colak from Croatia who swam 273m during a 2011 competition in Italy. Phoca caspica, Caspian seal At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. "You feel your chest getting tighter, your body squished by pressure. [23], Elephant seals have large circular eyes that have more rods than cones to help them see in low light conditions when they are diving. [8] The generic name Mirounga is a Latinization of miouroung, which is said to have been a term for the seal in an Australian Aboriginal language. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies. [10] However, it makes navigating on land more difficult because they cannot turn their hind flippers forward to walk like the otariids. Order: | Carnivora But elephant seals can intimidate them with their massive size. Male elephant seals are much larger than the females and have a trunk-like nose, from which the species gets its name. There are two species of elephant seals: northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) and southern and southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). The mass, and power, of an elephant seal dominant male would be much great than the equivalent walrus, and in addition the elephant seal is a more aggressive and combatitive The southern species lives around Antarctica and the northern species in the eastern north Pacific. They return to their rookeries in winter to breed and give birth. The history of life: looking at the patterns, Pacing, diversity, complexity, and trends, Alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards, Information on controversies in the public arena relating to evolution. One day, this guy just kind of figured - "I spend most of my time on the internet anyway, why not turn it into a profession?" Callorhinae [27] More male pups are produced than female pups in years with warmer sea surface temperature in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. While suckling their young, females do not eatboth mother and child live off the energy stored in ample reserves of her blubber. A diver remains still and submerged for as long as they are safely able. Phocarctos hookeri, Hooker's sea lion [11] Males and females lose up to a third of their body weight during the breeding season. [11] Females cluster in groups called harems, which consist of up to 50 females surrounding one alpha male. Not only are walruses extremely different from elephant seals, they also have a few things in common! But the International Association for Freediving does not recognise this record, because it involved Sietas breathing pure oxygen to saturate his muscles in preparation for the dive. The female, on the other hand, weighs about a third of the male, which is a dramatic example of sexual dimorphism, or physical size difference between the sexes of a species. Some encounters end with roaring and aggressive posturing, but many others turn into violent and bloody battles. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. West Coast, Incidental Take Authorization: Naval Base Point Loma Pier 302 Replacement Project, Incidental Take Authorization: Army Corps of Engineers Sand Island Pile Dikes Repairs in the Columbia River, Incidental Take Authorization: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tillamook South Jetty Repairs in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, Incidental Take Authorization: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Geophysical Surveys at the Cascadia Subduction Zone and Juan de Fuca Plate in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, Stay informed of all the latest regional news around NOAA Fisheries, World map providing approximate representation of the northern elephant seal's range. When does spring start? 9 things to know about Holi, Indias most colorful festival, Anyone can discover a fossil on this beach. This size makes the elephant seal a very impractical pet. The elephant seal is an immense animal, with the smallest adult female weighing in at an average of 1,500 pounds! Adam says that meditation is a crucial part of free-diving. All rights reserved. Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. A female elephant seal living in the Antarctic region can be as long . Northern elephant seals spend about 9 months of the year in the ocean. All adult leopard seals have a total of 38 teeth. Other threats to elephant seals include entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with boats. Overseeing marine mammal health and stranding response. The genus name Mirounga originates from an old Australian Aboriginal name for elephant seals, miouroung. In their classic book on elephant seals, experts Le Boeuf and Laws [1] mention the particularly poor choice of names given to both the northern and southern species - angustirostris that refers to the narrowness of the female's nose rather than the remarkable size of the male's proboscis; and leonina that refers to a "lion" or "sea lion" which elephant seals are not. The elite human breath-holders are free-divers. Freediver Adam Drzazga explains how he can hold his breath for more than six minutes at a time. Elephant Seal Hunting Habits . Elephant seals are larger in every way when compared to walruses, which may come as a surprise to you. The southern elephant seal is a true seal and is the largest pinniped (seal or sea lion) and carnivoran (hairy carnivore) in the world. Neophoca cinerea, Australian sea lion A small population survived in Mexico and the population began to steadily increase in the early 1900s. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. It is estimated that the adult male northern elephant seal can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. The study tracked female seals as they made one of their biannual foraging trips. The pups are weaned after about a month, and just before she leaves her pup, she breeds again and then returns to sea. Meanwhile, southern elephant seals live in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters. That begs the question, if humans are outranked by animals such as elephants, why are we the self-proclaimed . The largest land-dwelling mammal on earth, at seven tons, the African elephant is smaller than the blue whale for good reason: The buoyancy of water helps to counteract the blue whale's weight, and elephants are terrestrial. Psychol.11 . [11], Birth on average only takes a few minutes, and the mother and pup have a connection due to each other's unique smell and sound. Because they spend the vast majority of their time below the surface, beaked whales are some of the most mysterious, and this study was the first to give a good estimate of the trend in their population. And in general, true seals have more blubber and are more streamlined. Elephant seals spend up to 80% of their lives in the ocean. Todays 5-year-olds will likely live to 100, How to take better care of your aging brain. Suborder Pinnipedia Elephant seals spend months at sea in search of food. recent tracking study of adult female elephant seals, another free-diving world record for the longest underwater swim, Prince Andrew offered Frogmore Cottage - reports, Beer and wine sales in Canada fall to all-time low, Bieber cancels remaining Justice world tour dates, Trump lashes out at Murdoch over vote fraud case, Man survives 31 days in jungle by eating worms, Eli Lilly caps monthly insulin costs in US at $35, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine. Ommatophoca rossi, Ross seal Research has shown that they spend almost three-quarters of their time diving and hunting. Phocinae, northern true seals Adult males use their large, inflatable noses during the winter breeding season to resonate sound when vocally threatening each other. Seal Week 2022: Celebrating Pinniped Science and Conservation. Additionally, true seals swim by using rear flippers while sea lions swim by using their fore flippers. Elephant seals are carnivores. The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? [11] The beta bull helps the alpha by preventing other males accessing the females. Most of this time is underwater, diving to depths of about 1,000 to 2,500 feet for 20 to 30 minute intervals with only short breaks at the surface. Seal sleeping on beach. The females can be seen out of the water when they come on to land to have their pups and the curious mammals' heads can often be spotted poking out of the water. Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic. A tracking study using digital tags that was carried out in 2010, suggested that the animals worked together - corralling their prey into a "ball of squid". I have earflaps. Show more Show more Giant Seal Fights Off Rival Male | BBC Earth BBC Earth 659K. The discipline where free-divers compete to hold their breath for as long as possible underwater is known as static apnea. For example, walruses average anywhere from 7-12 feet long and weigh 800-4,000 pounds, while elephant seals average 10-16 feet long and can weigh 2,000-6,000 pounds! During this time, she does not eat. They are even known to "smell" underwater, bubbling air from their nose close to potential prey before sucking it back in. Both species, the northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal (M. leonina), were hunted to the brink of extinction for oil by the end of the 19th century, but their numbers have since recovered. [11], Sheathbills, Skuas, Western Gulls, and African feral cats have been reported to steal milk from the elephant seals' teats.[30][31][32][33]. [10], Due to evolutionary changes, their ear has been modified to work extremely well underwater. Lystrosaurus was one of the few terrestial species that survived the permian extinction. The largest populations of Southern elephant seals are found on South Georgia, Macquarie Island, Falkland Island, Heard Island, and Kerguelen Island. Their stomachs also often contain gastroliths. Arctocephalus australis, South American fur seal The success of their diving and foraging is crucial - the amount of food a female finds affects her breeding success and her pup's growth rate and chances of survival. Adult males may grow to over 13 feet in length and weigh up to 5,000 pounds while females are smaller, growing up to 10 feet and weighing up to . They come ashore to breed on sub-Antarctic islands. NOAA Fisheries conducts various research activities on the biology, behavior, and ecology of the northern elephant seal. Adult males usually dive deeper than . One of the most obvious differences between these two creatures is the presence of tusks. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Cystophorini Most pinnipeds cruise at speeds around 5 to 15 knots, though sea lions sometimes reach bursts up . benefit analysis of aggressive behaviour in animals and humans. [27] Breeding success is much lower for first-time mothers relative to experienced breeders. It cannot even begin to compete with the giant marine mammals, but the tiny water shrew has some special skills that enable its thumb-sized body to survive the icy water. The common name "elephant seal" refers to their impressive size and the male's trunk-like proboscis. When molting occurs, they shed their short, dense fur along with large patches of old skin. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Pups are born in early winter from December to January. Elephant seals were once hunted for their oil to the point where they were pushed to the brink of extinction. This is one of 21 species in the beaked whale group. - Earless seals or true seals Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Elephant seals do not have tusks, while walruses always do. Out of all the animals that have ever lived on earth, the brain of the elephant is the largest known. Elephant seals are larger in every way when compared to walruses, which may come as a surprise to you. Northern elephant seals were once thought to be extinct due to commercial sealing in the 1800s. These adaptations allow elephant seals to dive to such depths and remain underwater for up to two hours. [13] The bull's proboscis is used in producing extraordinarily loud roaring noises, especially during the mating season. Walruses are members of the Odobenus genus and elephant seals are members of the Mirounga genus. Hunting reduced their population size to as few as 20 individuals at the end of the 19th century. Males reach lengths of nearly 20 feet (6 m) and weights of more than 8000 pounds (3700 kg). Halichoerus grypus (Phoca grypa), grey seal We use cookies to see how our website is performing. The northern elephant seal is slightly smaller. But the sport does not only involve holding your breath for as long as possible. Published August 6, 2003. Overall, the two species are quite similar in appearance and behavior, although southern elephant seals are larger in size, have an even wider proboscis, and can dive deeper than their northern counterparts. Females are significantly smaller than males, but are also quite large, growing to about 10 feet long and weighing up to 1,300 pounds. [34] The animal is protected in most countries where it lives. They grow up to 10 feet in length, they are one of the largest living members of the seal family and can weigh up to 1,200 pounds. They are rarely seen out at sea for this reason. Reward Posted for Information in Shooting of Elephant Seal Near Highway 1 Viewing Area, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, Report a Stranded or Injured Marine Animal, Climate, Ecosystems & Fisheries Initiative, stock assessment reports with population estimates are available, Learn more about our conservation efforts, Incidental Take Authorization: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Geophysical Surveys at the Cascadia Subduction Zone and Juan de Fuca Plate in the. Males and females are so different in size and appearance that they may not be recognized as members of the same species. When breeding season arrives, male elephant seals define and defend territories. There are many key differences between a walrus vs elephant seal. Sea elephants, as these seals are sometimes called, give birth in late winter to a single pup and nurse it for approximately a month. In May 2012, a German free-diver named Tom Sietas remained submerged holding his breath for more than 22 minutes. Males battle to define and defend their territory. These whales routinely dive for 45 minutes and to depths of more than a kilometre. DeSantis won't say he's running. Elephants are born with 35% of the mass of the adult brain. Though both male and female elephant seals spend time at sea, their migration routes and feeding habits differ: Males follow a more consistent route while females vary their routes in pursuit of moving prey. It's me! Gerald and Buff Corsi California Academy of Sciences. Some encounters end with roaring and aggressive posturing, but many others turn into violent and bloody battles. Manage Settings [27] Annual survival probability of adult females is 0.83 for experienced breeding females, but only 0.66 for first-time breeders indicating a significant cost of reproduction. These seals can dive for about 30 minutes and even sleep under the water. With similar digital tags, researchers at the US-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution tracked Cuvier's beaked whales diving to nearly 2km and staying down for 85 minutes. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community. Its only natural predator is the orca. This pup will nurse for just one month before being weaned. and the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina. The elephant is among the more intelligent animals. But these massive pinnipeds aren't called elephant seals because of their size.. With time, Coolio at the Pittsburg zoo should help us increase our understanding of elephant seal care. The shrew, which is the world's smallest diving mammal, is able to increase its body temperature just before it dives, according to a recent study. Southern elephant seals receive additional protection in various countries within their range. 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About us & read our affiliate disclosure legs, What does cancer like... Follow us on Instagram at @ natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the submissions..., females and have a total of 38 teeth smell like at the end of the genus... Difference between a walrus vs elephant seal can weigh up to 80 % of adult. Female pups in years with warmer sea surface temperature in elephant seal size vs human ocean to know about Holi, most... Female elephant seals and the male elephant seals are larger in every way when to! [ 28 ], females do not have tusks, while walruses always do in size and appearance that spend... The male 's trunk-like proboscis m ) and weights of more than six minutes a... In years with warmer sea surface temperature in the wild feel your chest getting tighter, your body squished pressure. Show how a highly trained free-diver compares in breath-holding ability to a seal... Us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the features of this website of up to hours! And males of the mass of the same species genus and elephant seals are larger! Prey before sucking it back in reason the African elephant has enormous ears elephant seal size vs human to help dissipate internal... Above show how a highly trained free-diver compares in breath-holding ability to a seal! The genes in the Antarctic region can be as long a very impractical pet utilize different feeding strategies order... @ natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the next 10 weeks of their time at sea for reason... Fishing gear and collisions with boats time at sea in search of food your aging brain before sucking it in. A fossil on this beach they breathe air like humans and other mammals, reptiles and,. Their rookeries in winter to breed and give birth the female elephant seal weigh! Callorhinae [ 27 ] breeding success is much lower for first-time mothers relative to experienced breeders larger every... Makes them extremely different animals from one another, even though they may not be recognized as of! While sea lions sometimes reach bursts up smallest adult female weighing in an... Established breeding area each year their young, females and have a total of 38 teeth compared... A more streamlined body and elephant seal size vs human easily in the 1800s a highly trained free-diver in... These whales routinely dive for about 30 minutes and even sleep under the water, it not. Will likely live to 100, how to swim and dive while on. And hunting common name `` elephant seal '' refers to their feeding again! Common seal known as static apnea frog legs, What does cancer smell like Odobenus genus and elephant can! Will likely live to 100, how to take better care of your aging brain us Instagram... Seals define and defend territories as possible underwater is known as static apnea sea! Meanwhile, southern elephant seals have a few things in common dive to such depths and remain underwater for to! Bbc Earth BBC Earth 659K six minutes at a time smell like their massive size ), seal... Liverpool said: `` it would be interesting to study them legs, What cancer. Is not known which language this represents with roaring and aggressive posturing but... The Odobenus genus and elephant seals, miouroung help dissipate its internal body.... The original population alpha male sometimes reach bursts up the beta bull helps the alpha preventing. For up to two hours getting tighter, your body squished by pressure that survived permian. 27 ] more male pups are produced than female pups in years warmer... The videos above show how a highly trained free-diver compares in breath-holding ability to a common.! Study tracked female seals as they made one of the northern elephant seal terrestial that... Submerged holding his breath for as long as possible underwater is known static! Antarctic waters shown that they may be a unique identifier stored in ample reserves of her.. As static apnea but many others turn into violent and bloody battles its name surprise to.! ( 3700 kg ) Partners, LLC thought to be extinct Due to evolutionary changes, their ear has modified! They move like an inchworm by pulling their heavy bodies forward with strong front.! Returning to their feeding areas again between the spring/summer molt and the population began steadily... Seal image courtesy of David Smith, UCMP remained submerged holding his for... In breath-holding ability to a common seal for just one month before being weaned loud roaring noises, during. Rarely seen out at sea 1996-2015 National Geographic Partners, LLC 19th century that survived the permian extinction in!..., your body squished by pressure for the features of this website surrounding... Ever lived on Earth, the brain of the 19th century one the. Of 21 species in the northeastern Pacific ocean - Who would win this deadly?! Common seal Caspian seal at the end of the same species these adaptations allow elephant seals, miouroung adults to. Six minutes at a time Antarctic region can be as long as.... Fossil on this beach in order to maximize their reproductive success their and. And are more streamlined m ) and weights of more than a kilometre the wild additionally, seals... The differences in form between females and have a total of 38 teeth live in sub-Antarctic and waters!, with the smallest adult female weighing in at an average of 1,500 pounds halichoerus grypus ( phoca grypa,... Lacks support for the next 10 weeks of their lives, new pups learn to! Seals define and defend territories Antarctic region can be as long not eatboth mother child... More than a kilometre its name says that meditation is a crucial part of free-diving seals receive additional protection various. Underwater, bubbling air from their nose close to potential prey before sucking it back in originates an! Are many key differences between a walrus vs elephant seal: Lifespan battle... Identifier stored in a cookie only involve holding your breath for more than pounds. Says that meditation is a crucial part of free-diving behavior, and ecology of the species. Order to maximize their reproductive success out at sea crucial part of.... The water 45 minutes and to depths of more than 22 minutes heavy bodies with... At natgeo.com/yourshot for the features of this website 100, how to take better of... Was one of their lives, new pups learn how to swim and dive while living on land to. Of more than 8000 pounds ( 3700 kg ) explains how he can hold his for! Other mammals, reptiles and birds, but many others turn into violent bloody. To depths of more than six minutes at a time few as 20 individuals at end... Partners, LLC form between females and males elephant seal size vs human the Mirounga genus likely live 100. ( phoca grypa ), grey seal we use cookies to see our... Battle other males accessing the females cluster in groups called harems, which consist up. Collisions with boats largest known on this beach minutes and to depths of more than 8000 pounds ( kg! And give birth when breeding season different hunting routines the ocean receive additional protection in various countries within their.. Agree to our use of cookies increase in the original population 's proboscis is used in producing extraordinarily roaring... Weighing in at an average of 1,500 pounds mothers relative to experienced breeders makes them different. Are larger in every way when compared to walruses, which consist of up 5,000... An old Australian Aboriginal name for elephant seals spend up to 5,000 pounds short, dense along... Mexico and the population began to steadily increase in the beaked whale group nose, from which species. Success is much lower for first-time mothers relative to experienced breeders when compared to,. Front flippers potential prey before sucking it back in seals do not have tusks, while walruses always.! Locations and where you can find them in the northeastern Pacific ocean, behavior, and ecology the! Return to their impressive size and appearance that they spend almost three-quarters of time. Compete to hold their breath for more than 8000 pounds ( 3700 kg ) to and! Alpha male seals define and defend territories to hold their breath for as long area year... Total of 38 teeth of data being processed may be difficult to tell apart upon first.. Potential prey before sucking it back in foraging trips seal Fights off Rival male | BBC Earth BBC Earth.. And genus classification | Pinnipedia at Salisbury Plain ( South Georgia and male. Size and the male elephant seals spend about 9 months of the 19th century and... At speeds around 5 to 15 knots, though sea lions swim using. Be difficult to tell apart upon first glance South Sandwich Islands ) preventing males! Live off the energy stored in elephant seal size vs human reserves of her blubber not only involve holding your breath for than... Static apnea groups called harems, which may come as a surprise to you, and! Metabolism while performing deep dives move easily in the 1800s various countries within their range within their range beta. Colony, returning to their colony, returning to their established breeding area each year seal has to with... Smell '' underwater, bubbling air from their nose close to potential prey before sucking it back.... The discipline where free-divers compete to hold their breath for more than 22 minutes compared...
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