Sea lion. Sea lions information Sea lion description for children

Sea lions (lat. Otariinae ) are marine mammals capable of walking on all fours, with external ears, long flippers and a large belly. The body is covered with short dense hairs. Together with fur seals they are part of a family eared seals- their ears come out, while other, so-called true seals (for example, walruses and elephant seals) have ears hidden under the skin.

Their habitat ranges from subantarctic to tropical waters of the world's oceans, excluding the northern region of the Atlantic Ocean.

Appearance

A male sea lion usually weighs 300 kg and grows up to 3 m in length. Females are much smaller - on average 100 kg. with a body length of 1.8 m. Steller sea lion (or northern sea lion), one of the species of sea lions, can grow up to 3 m and reach a weight of 1,000 kg. Average life expectancy is 20-30 years. Sea lions consume a large number of food at a time - about 5-8% of your own weight.

Body dark brown. The muzzle is small, elongated like a dog's. They are classified as canids, but, of course, not only because of the similarity of their muzzle to a dog's. The eyes are large and slightly convex.

On the muzzle there are long, stiff antennae called vibrissae, and perform tactile and sensory functions.

In some species, adult males have a characteristic crest on their heads, and the hair on their necks forms a mane, which is why these animals are nicknamed lions, in honor of the land predators of the same name. The growls and roars of these animals add additional resemblance to lions.

Types of sea lions

There are 5 species of sea lions currently living and one extinct species:

1. Northern sea lion or sea lion(lat. Eumetopias jubatus). This is the most close-up view. It lives in the northern hemisphere on the territory from the west coast of North America to our Kuril Islands. Adult males grow to the size of walruses - 3-3.5 m in length and weighing more than 1 ton. Females are much smaller. In the Red Book of the Russian Federation they are classified as category 2 - close to becoming endangered. The International Union for the Conservation of Animals classifies sea lions as a group of animals that are in danger of extinction in the near future.

2. Southern sea lion(lat. Otaria byronia). Lives off the coast South America, in Peru, Brazil, Galapagos Islands. Weighs 300 kg. They are distinguished by a lighter brown color. The mane is lighter than the body, almost yellow. There are also light spots of irregular shape on the body.

3. Australian sea lion(lat. Neophoca cinerea). Lives in southern Australia. Weighs about 300 kg. Females are very small - about 100 kg. with a body length of 1.5-1.8 m. In females, the color of the coat differs from the color of males - gray with a silver tint. Is very rare species. The Australian sea lion population currently stands at 12 thousand individuals.

4. California sea lion(lat. Zalophus californianus). Weighs 300 kg. Females of this species are the smallest - about 90 kg. Their muzzle is very elongated. In males, the mane is very weakly developed, and distinguishing feature males, the characteristic crest on their head that determines their attractiveness to females.

5. New Zealand sea lion(lat. Phocarctos hookeri). Weighs 200-250 kg. They are distinguished by a darker color. Males have a well-growing mane, which makes them appear larger than they actually are. Lives in the south of New Zealand.

6. Japanese sea lion(lat. Zalophus japonicus). Currently considered extinct. Lived in the Sea of ​​Japan and on the east coast of Korea. It grew up to 2.5 m in length and reached a weight of 560 kg. He was distinguished by a thicker and almost black mane. The reason for the extinction of the Japanese sea lion is uncontrolled fishing.

Behavior and diet

Sea lions spend most time in the water, coming ashore to rest and mate. Northern species can climb onto drifting ice, but mostly they build rookeries on the shore. Even when making short migrations across their region, sea lions remain tied to a specific “own” shore.

These are excellent swimmers. Clumsy on land, they transform under water, fluttering through the water like birds in the air. The swimming speed can exceed 30 km/h, and the diving depth can be 200 m.

Sea lions hunt fish, cephalopods and some. The streamlined body shape, speed, reaction and endurance make them good fishermen. And they need to hunt a lot. For one “fishing”, an adult animal requires up to 20 kg. fresh fish.

There are two periods of life of sea lions - nomadic(or feeding, when animals actively feed, gaining weight) and reproductive(or rookery). The reproductive period begins at different types differently, usually in spring and summer. At this time, the males come ashore for a long time and wait for the appearance of females ready to mate.

Male sea lions are significantly larger than females

Reproduction

Sea lions are characterized by a harem breeding system, when one male mates with several females and protects them from the attacks of other males. But they do not have dominance over females. If a female does not want to stay with a particular male or is not ready to mate, she can go to another place or to another male.

Males share the shore through fights, often leading to blood. Old, weak, as well as young males are pushed to the outskirts of the rookery, where they try to find a lone female. Also, a group of males can gather in a flock of up to 10 individuals and raid someone’s harem in order to kidnap a female. Stronger males are capable of maintaining a harem of twenty females, but usually this is 2-3 females. During this period, the sea lion does not eat and practically does not sleep, defending its territory from other males.

It is noteworthy that in some species, males who do not find success during the breeding season flock into bachelor herds, where they remain all the time while young and strong individuals are engaged in procreation. Such herds are constantly filled with other males who have been forced out of the rookery. These bachelors are bored on land all summer, until the time comes to return to their usual feeding lifestyle.

Before mating, the female gives birth to one cub and takes care of it until the next mating, which occurs after 10-14 days. The female is jealous of her puppies and aggressive towards other people's young. There are known cases of attacks on other people's pups, but it has been noted that about 10% of female sea lions raise other people's offspring.

Relationship with a person

Sea lions have suffered greatly from human activity. The Japanese sea lion was completely destroyed by uncontrolled hunting for meat and skin. Other species have also suffered greatly, including due to man-made activities that have affected their usual habitats. Despite the fact that they have not been hunted for a long time, now the struggle for survival has entered another phase - competition with fishermen for fish (mainly pollock). Fishermen have seriously reduced the amount of food that sea lions are accustomed to, and they are forced to migrate to unsuitable regions in search of food. The southern sea lion was particularly seriously affected.

Some South American countries (such as Uruguay) have limited the amount of fish that sea lions eat, but the population is still declining due to human impacts on their ecosystem.

The human presence in sea lion habitats forces the animals to show aggression towards it, protecting their offspring and showing territorial “jealousy”. They are characterized by the so-called “homing” - the ability to return to their habitats and protect them from the encroachments of strangers. Most often the animal does not enter into confrontation with humans, preferring to swim away, but many cases of attacks have been documented.

On the west coast of Australia, a sea lion grabbed a 13-year-old girl who was surfing and severely mauled her, biting and drowning her underwater. The girl was saved when the animal made its second attack.

In San Francisco, cases of bites by adult male sea lions are recorded annually. Bites occur underwater and it is believed that this population is only protecting its territory. The most serious case here occurred in 2015, when a 62-year-old man presented to doctors with a broken leg after being bitten by a male California sea lion. This species lends itself well to training. They often perform in circuses, dolphinariums and zoos. They were also used by the military, teaching them to deliver specified loads to specific points under water. In general, this species is aggressive only during the breeding season, but in wildlife It is not recommended to come into contact with them.

Another case of an attack on a person, also caught on camera mobile phone, happened in 2017 in British Columbia (west coast of Canada). Then the sea lion, unexpectedly emerging from the water, grabbed the girl by the dress and disappeared into the depths. Fortunately, the child escaped with only fright and was not injured.

Sea lions are an object of ecotourism in New Zealand and Australia. A tourist park in Australia welcomes 100 thousand people annually, who can watch the animals on the shore from boats. They are also an unofficial symbol of the Galapagos Islands. It was there that friendly sea lions became an Internet meme due to their excessive curiosity. Now in in social networks“Sea lions” are people who show excessive and obsessive kindness towards strangers.

Video

A sea lion drags a girl underwater

Sea lion hunting penguin

The sea lion or sea lion to the north is much larger than the southern one. Males reach a length of 3-3.2 meters, and their weight is 700-800 kg. Females are twice as small. Their weight does not exceed 350 kg, and their body length is 2-2.3 meters. This animal lives along the banks Sea of ​​Okhotsk And Pacific Ocean. These are Kamchatka, Komandorskie, Aleutian, Kurile Islands, Alaska.

In the Bering Sea, and therefore in Arctic zone there is no northern sea lion. But it is found on the coast of North America all the way to central California. This is the largest eared seal. It is smaller in size than walruses and elephant seals, but still looks very impressive.

The body color of the northern sea lion is light red. Females look very graceful. Nature has endowed them with flexible, serpentine-shaped bodies and small, flat heads. Males look much more powerful. They have square muzzles topped with manes, and a loud roar somewhat reminiscent of a lion's roar. They, like all eared seals, form harems in rookeries. Moreover, conflicts between males are quite common.

The habitats of animals can be located both on sandbanks and on steep cliffs. From them seals jump into the sea, although sometimes the height of the cliffs reaches 15-20 meters. Steller sea lions avoid ice, therefore, wintering in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, they stick to its central and southern ice-free regions. They feed on shellfish and fish. Sometimes they attack northern fur seals and eat them.

Eared seals are characterized by polygamy. This is when one male fertilizes several females at once. That is, harems are created, but their morals are very democratic. The male sea lion is not a selfish owner and does not require females to be near him all the time. The ladies take great advantage of this and settle down in a rookery where they like.

The female usually gives birth to one baby. After giving birth, she becomes aggressive and does not allow anyone near her and the baby. Mating occurs 2 weeks after birth. This process ends at the end of June. From the second half of July, the rookery begins to gradually empty, and the harems disintegrate.

There are also bachelor rookeries. They employ those cleavers who, for a number of reasons, were unable to create their own harems. These are very young males and old ones. After the breeding season ends, the more successful relatives mix with the unlucky ones.

IN last decades the number of these animals has decreased significantly. But experts cannot explain the reason why the northern sea lion began to die out. Many believe that the environment is to blame for this. Others blame it on the killer whales, who mercilessly eat the poor seals. It is believed that fishing vessels catch pollock and herring in a huge number and leaving sea lions without a main source of food. The situation is especially difficult for representatives of this genus in Alaska, although shooting animals is strictly prohibited.

Sea lions are members of the eared seal family. There are only 5 species of sea lions in the world - northern, southern, New Zealand, Australian and Californian. All of them are quite similar both to each other and to fur seals, which are their closest relatives.

Like all pinnipeds, sea lions have a streamlined body, a small head and flattened, flipper-like limbs. But there are some differences. The body of these animals is relatively more slender and flexible than that of other seal species. The neck is also relatively long and very flexible, the paws are very mobile, and sea lions move quite deftly even on land (which cannot be said about other seals). In the water they show real miracles of acrobatics. The skull of these animals has a well-defined brain section, the eyes are large and slightly convex. Thick vibrissae (often called whiskers) can be seen on the face of sea lions. In general, sea lions are the most active and intelligent of all pinnipeds. The fur of these animals also differs in quality from the fur of other seals; it is short and less dense. On the neck of males, the hair is longer and forms a kind of short mane, for which they got their name. Sea lion fur is not valued like fur seal fur. The color of these animals is dark brown, often almost black. The body length can reach up to 2 m, and the weight of large males can be up to 300 kg. Females are much smaller, weighing only 90 kg.

Sea lions are inhabitants of the Southern Hemisphere. They can be found on the shores of South America, Australia, New Zealand, and only the California sea lion has moved north to the subtropical zone. All species of sea lions live on the open coasts of seas and oceans, and are found both on rocky and sandy beaches and even in thickets of grass. Thanks to their intelligence and general mobility, these animals have even mastered cultural landscapes.

Like all eared seals, sea lions lead a gregarious lifestyle, but their aggregations are not as numerous and crowded as those of fur seals. Animals often go out into the open ocean, where they can spend whole days without going onto land, so it is not uncommon to meet a sea lion at a great distance from the coast. However, sea lions do not commit seasonal migrations, and roam within 5-25 km from the coast. Sea lions communicate with each other using various sounds, but their voices have less roar and growl than fur seals.

Sea lions feed on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. They find mollusks at the bottom, diving to a depth of up to 90 m, and pursue fish with great dexterity. In water, these animals move like birds, actively rowing with their forelimbs. Since sea lions live in more warm waters than most pinnipeds, they do not accumulate large reserves of fat.

Reproduction occurs once a year, but the rut of sea lions is calmer than that of elephant seals or seals. Males occupy permanent areas on the shore, the boundaries of which are protected from alien invasion. Sometimes males get into fights with each other, but they are never as fierce as those of elephant seals and seals. Each male gathers around himself a harem of 10-12 females. Non-breeding individuals stay separately along the edges of the rookery. Pregnancy in females lasts a year. Females give birth to cubs in a harem and immediately mate with males again. Baby sea lions are born with golden fur. For the first few days, the mother stays with the baby inseparably; after mating with the male, she begins to go out to sea. Feeding in sea lions, unlike other related species, is long-term; the female feeds the calf with milk for 5-7 months.

After the first moult, the young animals form a separate group. Future life young are passed in such bachelor herds until the animals become sexually mature. Females begin to reproduce in the third year of life, and males, due to high competition acquire harems only by the age of 5-7 years. Sea lions live for about 20 years.

In nature, sea lions are attacked by sharks and killer whales, and some animals die in collisions with ships. Interestingly, lions use their natural intelligence to protect themselves from predators. There is a known case when a sea lion, having collided with a killer whale on the open sea, approached the yacht. An absolutely wild animal demonstrated to people with all its appearance that it needed help and asked for protection.

Sea lions are the few animals that have escaped the fate of mass destruction. Low economic benefit saved these animals from being hunted by sea lions. In California, the number of these animals has even increased. At the same time, some subspecies of sea lions (Auckland New Zealand sea lion) need protection due to displacement from their rookeries by people.

Steller sea lion is a large and majestic animal from the family of eared seals. It received its second name in the 18th century, when the German explorer Georg Wilhelm Steller, having first seen this huge seal with a massive withers and neck, resembling a mane from a distance, and hearing its bass roar, compared it in his notes to a lion. Subsequently, this species began to be called in honor of its discoverer: Steller’s northern sea lion.

Description of sea lion

The sea lion is the largest animal from the subfamily of sea lions, which, in turn, belongs to the family of eared seals. This is a powerful, but at the same time, graceful beast that lives in the north Pacific region, was valuable in the past commercial species, but currently hunting for sea lions has been completely stopped.

Appearance

The size of adult individuals of this species, depending on gender, can reach 300-350 cm in males and 260 cm in females. The weight of these animals is also significant: from 350 to 1000 kg.

The sea lion's head is rounded and relatively small in relation to the strong and powerful neck and massive body. The muzzle is wide, slightly upturned, vaguely reminiscent of the muzzle of a pug or bulldog. The ears are low set, round and very small in size.

The eyes are dark, rather protruding, widely spaced, not too large, but at the same time expressive. The color of the sea lion's eyes is brownish, mostly dark shades.

The nose is a couple of shades darker than the main coat color, large, with wide nostrils in the shape of an elongated oval. The vibrissae are long and quite rigid. In some large individuals their length can reach 60 cm.

The body is fusiform, thick and massive in the anterior part, but strongly tapering downward. The flippers are strong and powerful, allowing the animal to move on land, relying on them and necessary for swimming in the sea.

The coat is short and stiff, from a distance it looks soft and plush, but, in fact, it is quite prickly and consists mainly of awns. The undercoat, if any, is not too thick and of insufficient quality. The hard hair protects the body of the sea lion from sharp stones when moving on land. On the skin of these animals you can often see areas with worn-out fur, which is precisely the result of the skin of sea lions coming into contact with an uneven rocky surface.

The males of this species have a kind of mane on the neck, formed by elongated hair. The mane of sea lions is not only a decorative “decoration” and a sign of the courage of its owner, but also a protective device that protects males from serious bites from rivals during fights.

The body color of northern Steller sea lions depends on the age of the animal and the time of year. Steller sea lions are born almost black; during adolescence, the color of their coat becomes light brown. As the animal grows further, its fur lightens even more. IN winter time year, the color of sea lions becomes similar to the color milk chocolate, in summer it lightens to straw with a slight touch of brownish tint.

The color of the coat, as a rule, is not entirely uniform: there are areas on the animal’s body various shades the same color. Thus, as a rule, the upper part of the body of sea lions is lighter than the lower part, and the flippers, noticeably darkening already near the base, darken downwards to a blackish-brown color. At the same time, some adult individuals of this species look noticeably darker than others, which is most likely their individual feature, not related to gender, age, or habitat.

Behavior, lifestyle

The annual cycle in the life of these animals is divided into two periods: nomadic, also called nomadic, and rookery. At the same time, during the nomadic period, sea lions do not go far into the sea and always return to the shore after short and short migrations. These animals are strongly attached to certain areas of their habitat and try not to leave them for long.

In early spring, when breeding time comes, sea lions come ashore in order to have time to occupy the most best plots at the rookery. First, only males appear on the shore, between whom the territory is divided at the rookery. Having occupied a suitable part of the rookery, each of them protects his area from the encroachments of rivals, warning them with an aggressive roar that the owner will not give up his territory without a fight.

Females appear later, in late spring or early summer. A harem of several (usually 5-20 females) is formed near each of the adult males. As a rule, sea lions establish rookeries on a flat surface and only sometimes at an altitude of 10-15 meters above sea level.

At this time, animals also continue to zealously protect their territory, often showing aggression towards rivals.

In addition to “family” harems, sea lions also have “bachelor” rookeries: they are formed by young males who have not yet reached the age suitable for reproduction. Sometimes they are joined by males who have become too old and no longer have the opportunity to resist younger rivals, as well as sexually mature males who, for some reason, did not have time to acquire a harem.

At the rookery, male sea lions behave restlessly: they roar, and their roar, reminiscent of a lion's roar or a steamship whistle, carries far across the surrounding area. Females and cubs also make different sounds: the roar of the former is similar to the mooing of a cow, and the cubs bleat like sheep.

Sea lions show distrust of people and can even be aggressive. It is practically impossible to capture this animal alive, as they fight to the last. This is why sea lions are almost never kept in captivity. However, there is a known case when Steller's northern sea lion became friends with people and even came to their tent for a treat.

How long do sea lions live?

The lifespan of sea lions is approximately 25-30 years.

Sexual dimorphism

Males of this species are noticeably larger than females: males can be 2 or even almost 3 times heavier than females and be almost twice as long.

Females have lighter bones, thinner bodies, narrower necks and chests, and their heads are more graceful and not as round as those of males. The mane of elongated hair on the neck and scruff of the neck is absent in females.

Another sexual difference- these are the sounds that these animals make. The roar of males is louder and more booming, reminiscent of a lion's roar. Females moo like cows.

Range, habitats

In Russia, sea lions can be found on the Kuril and Commander Islands, Kamchatka and in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. In addition, northern sea lions live throughout almost the entire North Pacific Ocean. In particular, they can be seen off the coast of Japan, Canada and the USA.

Steller sea lions prefer to settle in coastal subarctic waters, in areas with cool and temperate climate. Occasionally during their migrations they swim further south: in particular, they were seen off the coast of California.

Coming ashore, sea lions establish rookeries on flat areas located close to reefs and rocks, which are natural barriers to storm waves or allow animals to hide between piles of stones during the rampant sea elements.

Sea lion diet

The basis of the diet is mollusks - both bivalves and cephalopods, such as squid or octopus. They also eat sea lions and fish: herring, capelin, greenlings, sea ​​bass, cod, gobies.

When chasing prey, a sea lion can dive to a depth of 100-140 meters, and, seeing a school of fish from the shore, dive into the water from a steep bank 20-25 meters high.

Reproduction and offspring

Mating season for northern Steller sea lions begins in the spring. At this time, they leave the sea and, coming to land, form harems there, when several females gather around one male. During the division of territory preceding the formation of harems, there are bloody fights and seizures of foreign territory. But after the females appear on the shore, the struggle for the best areas of the rookery stops. The males, who did not manage to seize their territory, retire to another rookery, organized by males who did not find females; for those who remained in the common rookery, the breeding season begins.

The female sea lion bears her offspring for about a year, and the next spring, a few days after arriving at the rookery, she gives birth to one rather large cub, whose weight already reaches about 20 kg. At birth, the baby is covered with short, dark or, less commonly, sandy-colored hair.

The cubs, or sea lion puppies as they are also called, look quite attractive: they have round heads with wide-set expressive eyes, a short, slightly upturned muzzle and small round ears that make them look a little like teddy bears.

Already a week after the birth of the cub, the female mates again with the male, after which she returns to caring for the existing baby. She feeds and diligently protects him from strangers, and therefore at this time she can be quite aggressive.

Males, as a rule, do not show hostility towards cubs. But sometimes cases of cannibalism occur among sea lions, when adult males eat other people’s puppies. Scientists find it difficult to say why this happens: perhaps the fact is that these adult individuals for some reason cannot hunt in the sea. Also among possible reasons Such atypical behavior for sea lions is also called mental abnormalities that occur in individual animals of this species.

The harems break up in midsummer, after which the cubs live and hunt together with their parents in a common herd.

Before three months females teach them to swim and get food on their own, after which young sea lions can do this very well themselves. However, young individuals remain with their mothers for a very long time: up to 4 years. In this case, females become sexually mature by 3-6 years, and males by 5-7 years of age.

Among sea lions there is a phenomenon that can very rarely be observed in other mammals: females, whose daughters have already managed to give birth to offspring, still continue to feed them with their milk.

Seals, sea lions and walruses are oceanic mammals in the group Pinnipeds (Seals). Seals' connection with water is not as close as that of whales. Seals require mandatory rest on land.

Seals are related, but are in different taxonomic families.

• The so-called earless (true) seals are members of the Canidae family - Phocidae.
• Sea lions and seals are members of the family Otariidae (Steller sea lions).
• Walruses belong to the Walrus family.

The main difference between earless and eared seals is their ears.

• Sea lions have external ear flaps. These folds of skin are designed to protect the ear from water when the seal swims or dives.
• "True" seals have no external ears at all. Need to get very close to them to see the tiny holes on the sides of the seal's smooth head.

Another difference between seal groups is their rear flippers:

In real seals, the back flippers do not bend or tuck forward, but only backward. This prevents them from "walking" on the ground. They move on land using wave-like body movements.

Steller sea lions (fur seals and sea lions) can move on land using their back legs (flippers).

Third difference:

Fourth difference:

• Sea lions are noisy animals.
• Real seals are much quieter - their vocalizations resemble soft grunts.

There are 18 species of true seals and 16 species of eared seals.

The largest representative of true seals is the southern elephant seal. A massive male, weighing up to 8,500 pounds. (3,855.5 kg). Females elephant seal much smaller, but still weigh more than a 2,000-pound car.

Males measure about 20 feet (6 meters) in length, with females measuring about half that length.

The smallest representative of true (earless) seals is the seal. The seal has an average body length of 5 feet (1.5 m) and weighs from 110 to 150 pounds (that's 50 to 70 kg). Unlike other seals, male and female seals are approximately the same size.

The seal is the most common seal species in the Arctic, according to study National Administration oceanic and atmospheric phenomena(NOAA).

Of the 16 species of eared seals, seven are species of sea lions.

One of the most known species, according to NOAA, is considered a California sea lion. In the wild, these animals live along the west coast of North America. They can often be seen basking on beaches and piers.

Males average about 700 pounds (315 kg) and can reach weights of over 1,000 pounds (455 kg). Females weigh on average 240 pounds (110 kg).

Natural environment of seals (seals)

True seals usually live in the cold ocean waters of the Arctic and off the coast of Antarctica.

Harp (harp seal), ringed seal(Akiba), Icelandic hooded seal, sea ​​hare(beard seal), spotted seal (larga), bearded walrus and lionfish - live in the Arctic.

Crab eater, Weddell, leopard seal and Ross seals - live in Antarctica.

Fur seals and sea lions live in the North Pacific Ocean between Asia and North America, and off the coast of South America, Antarctica, South-West Africa and southern Australia. They can spend about two years in the open ocean before returning to their breeding grounds.

Some seals make caves in the snow. Others never leave the ice and poke breathing holes in the ice.

What do seals eat?

Seals primarily hunt fish, but they also eat eel, squid, octopus and lobster.

Leopard seals are capable of eating penguins and small seals.

The gray seal is capable of eating up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of food per day. He sometimes skips meals for several days in a row, and lives off the energy of stored fat. And often it stops feeding completely - during the mating season it does not feed for several weeks.

All pinnipeds - from true seals (earless) to eared seals (steller sea lions) and walruses (tusked odobenids) - are carnivores. They are related to dogs, coyotes, foxes, wolves, skunks, otters and bears.

How do Squirrels appear?

When mating season arrives, male seals will make deep guttural sounds to attract the attention of females. The male seal also calls other males to a duel using sounds.

Seals are very territorial animals when it comes to mating. They will fight for the right to mate, striking and biting each other. The winner gets the opportunity to mate with 50 females in their area.

The female's pregnancy lasts about 10 months. When they feel it is time to give birth, some of them dig nests in the sand, where they give birth to their young. Other seals lay their babies directly on the iceberg, on the snow.

Squirrels are the name given to seal puppies.

Seals and sea lions only have one pup per year. Mothers will feed the squirrels on the ground until they develop waterproof fur. This may take about 1 month.

Females will mate and become pregnant again as soon as her squirrel is weaned.

Males are not able to mate until they are 8 years old because they need to be tall enough and strong enough to win a mating fight.

A few other facts about seals

All pinnipeds - seals, sea lions and walruses - are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Most seals are not considered endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

However, there are a few exceptions.

The Caribbean seal was declared extinct in 2008.

• The Galapagos seal and the monk seal are both critically endangered.
• Some local groups, such as Gray seals in the Baltic Sea, are also at risk.
• Northern fur seals and hooded seals are also vulnerable.

Northern seals, Baikal seals and Ursula seals are also vulnerable animals. They are being bred at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

The crabeater seal, among the seal species, has the largest population in the world. It is estimated that there are up to 75 million individual individuals.

The Elephant Seal has what is called "smoker's blood" - it has the same amount of carbon monoxide in its blood as a person who smokes 40 or more cigarettes a day. Scientists believe that this high level gas in the blood protects them when they dive into the deep ocean levels.

Harp seals can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes.

The Weddell Seal results are even more impressive. Their record for staying underwater is 80 minutes. They only come up to grab air when they find holes in the layers of ice above the ocean.

California's Farallones National Marine Sanctuary is home to one-fifth of the world's seals. These marine mammals They believe they have found a safe refuge within the reserve.