Search results
May 7, 2021 · This video shows different seal species in action and explains how each swims. Credit: David Hocking. Read more: Marine animals swim in circles; From lions to orcas, females outlive males
May 7, 2021 · Despite living in the same environment and doing largely the same things, seals have evolved two distinct ways to swim. One group of seals chiefly use their feet to propel them through the water, while the other uses their flippers to swim.
May 7, 2021 · This discovery shows how wing-like flippers can evolve in seals that already swim with their back feet, providing a pathway for the evolution of forelimb swimming in the fur seals and sea lions.
- Overview
- Seals Can Be Playful
- Sometimes Their Curiosity Gets the Best of Them
- They’re Stealthy Hunters...
- ...And Ferocious Predators
- Elephant Seals Recognize Each Other’s Voices
There's a reason they've been nicknamed the "dogs of the sea."
Seals are one of the ocean's most charismatic creatures. While it can be tempting to want to swim with or pet a seal if presented the opportunity, the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act recommends maintaining a distance of at least 150 feet. Biologists say a good rule of thumb is to never be close enough to make eye contact. Albeit cute, they have sharp teeth, carry diseases, and can be territorial.
1:01
Watch a Seal Get Up Close and Personal With Diver
Having trouble viewing this video? Watch it here.
Shy and awkward on land, seals are much more curious and playful in the water, where they can move faster and feel more comfortable. Lucky divers swimming near the Farne Islands off the coast of England learned just how playful they are when a seal approached them to get a better look. But it’s not just people who attract seals’ curiosity, one has even been pictured hitching a ride on top of a whale. Researchers caution being wary of the animals, no matter how adorable, because they have sharp teeth and can transmit diseases.
1:09
Watch: Cape Seal Collides With Kayaker
Having trouble viewing the video? Watch it here.
While kayaking off the coast of Namibia, one man was blindsided by a seal that leaped from the water and accidentally slapped him in the face. It was exhibiting a behavior known as “porpoising” in which they jump in and out of the water rapidly. Seals are naturally curious and playful, and it was likely trying to get a better look at its surroundings.
1:00
Octopus vs. Crab Battle Takes an Unexpected Turn
Having trouble viewing the video? Watch it here.
While scuba diving off the coast of Monterey, California, two divers were entranced by a battle between an octopus and a crab. With their cameras trained on the dueling pair, they didn’t notice a harbor seal slowly waiting to make its move until it instantly gobbled up the octopus. Harbor seals are known to be opportunistic, and the carnivores have an expansive diet. According to one of the divers, “blood and ink went everywhere.”
2:12
POV: Why Are Leopard Seals Eating So Many Fur Seal Pups?
Having trouble viewing the video? Watch it here.
In recent years, gray seals in the North Sea have been observed taking on bigger prey like porpoises and other species of seal. Scientists theorize the new top predator may have developed a taste for porpoise meat after feasting on porpoises caught in nets, or that other food sources are growing scarce. National Geographic Critter Cams like the ones seen above also show how leopard seals prey on fur seal pups and steal food.
0:59
New Discovery: These Seals Can Recognize Each Other's 'Voices'
Having trouble viewing this video? Watch it here.
In the world of elephant seal mating, the alpha decides who gets access to the females, and who gets to be alpha is decided by a bloody fight. To avoid conflict, male seals need to understand the complex social dynamics of a colony from a distance. They do this by recognizing the unique patterns of another male seal’s voice. Aside from humans, they’re the only known species that can do this.
- 1 min
- Sarah Gibbens
May 6, 2021 · This discovery shows how wing-like flippers can evolve in seals that already swim with their back feet, providing a pathway for the evolution of forelimb swimming in the fur seals and sea lions.
Seals, too, have key adaptations that make them efficient swimmers, like lots of blubber to make them buoyant. When at sea, northern elephant seals spend 85 to 95 percent of that time underwater and make massive migrations up to 13,000 miles long.
People also ask
Are seals good swimmers?
Are all seals the same?
Can seals swim with their tails?
Do seals swim with flippers?
Can you swim with a seal?
How do seals swim?
Jun 17, 2013 · Scientists from the University of Liverpool have published research that explains how marine mammals, including seals and whales, hold their breath for so long. The research reveals how the...
