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Ecology & Environment
Pradeep Kumar

16/05/21 13:00 PM IST

Elephant seals

In news

One of the most distinctive of the 33 species that comprise the world’s seal family it is difficult for them to stay fat.\

Highlights
  • Scientists have conducted the most thorough study to date of the unique feeding behaviour of northern elephant seals, focusing on the females of the species during arduous two-month postbreeding migrations in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
  • The seals were found to spend upwards of 20 hours every day – and sometimes a full 24 hours – in continuous deep-diving to feed on multitudes of small fish, rather than the larger prey favoured by other deep-diving marine mammals.
  • To gain the body fat essential for successful reproduction and insulation in the frigid depths.
  • They fed 1,000 to 2,000 times daily.
Research
  • The researchers tracked 48 female elephant seals from Año Nuevo State Park in California, site of an important breeding colony.
  • They based their findings on data obtained from 2011 and 2018 using three small removable devices: one attached under the jaw that counted the number of times they fed and measured their depth; a satellite tracker attached atop the head that provided location information; and a “smart” video camera with an infra-red LED light flash, motion tracker and another depth sensor, also atop the head.
  • Male northern elephant seals may reach 4 metres length and weigh up to 2,000 kg.
  • Females are substantially smaller getting up to about 3 metres in length and 590 kg.
Source: The Hindu

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