How many teeth does a Weddell seal have?
4 canine
Weddell seals have 4 canine teeth – two on top and two on bottom. Between the canines are their incisors – 4 on top and 4 on bottom. Do you see how much larger the outer two incisors are, compared to the 2 in the middle (both on top and bottom)? Weddell seals have a special use for these teeth.
Why do Weddell seals give birth in this far south in Antarctica?
What are Weddell Seals like? Weddell seals are animals of the ice. They live further south than any other mammal. Between the end of August and early November in the southern hemisphere spring, the mothers to be haul themselves out of holes in the ice and give birth to their pups.
Where is the location of the longest running study of Weddell seals?
Erebus Bay
Scientists Thierry Chambert, right, and Jesse DeVoe walk among Weddell Seals on the sea ice near McMurdo Station. They are part of a team conducting a long-term population dynamics study on the Weddell seal colonies in a place called Erebus Bay.
What makes the Weddell seal a true seal?
With a face resembling a smiling cat and an endearingly placid and docile disposition on the ice, the Weddell seal is a “true” “earless” seal, belonging to the Phocidae family. On shore they often allow the close approach of people. Like other phocids, the Weddell seal has no external ear flaps.
Do Weddell seals have teeth?
Special adaptations During winter these openings freeze over and Weddell seals use their canine and incisor teeth to rasp open the new ice and so maintain holes through which to breathe.
Can Weddell seals hear?
Weddell seals are chirping, whistling, and trilling under Antarctica’s ice at sound frequencies that humans can’t hear, report researchers. Two years of recordings at a live-streaming underwater observatory in McMurdo Sound have captured nine types of tonal ultrasonic seal vocalizations that reach to 50 kilohertz.
How long do Weddell seals live for?
30 years
How long do Weddell Seals live? Weddell Seals live 30 years on average.
Do Weddell seals have predators?
Life Underwater By swimming under the ice, these seals can often avoid their main predators—orcas and leopard seals. The environment helps their own fishing as well. When feeding below the ice, they may dive beneath their prey.
Why can Weddell seals dive for so long?
By compressing and moving the air in their lungs they can change buoyancy during the dive. Weddell seals can cruise around underwater with very little flipper movement at all, which lets them dive down hundreds of feet into the water and stay down for as long as over an hour!
How does Weddell seal keep itself warm?
Weddell seals are adapted to the severe cold like many other Arctic and Antarctic animals. They have large amounts of blubber and thick fur to keep them warm in the cold. They also have other well-known adaptations such as whiskers for sensing prey, flippers for swimming, and streamlined bodies for faster and more efficient swimming.
What is the lifespan of a Weddell seal?
The average lifespan of a Weddell seal is about 30 years. Weddell seal is a relatively large seal. It measure about 2.5-3.5 m (8 ft 2 in-11 ft 6 in) long and weigh 400-600 kg (880-1,320 lb). Males weigh less than females, usually about 500 kg (1,100 lb) or less.
What do Weddell seals look like?
Weddell Seals are placid animals that have a body length between 2.5 and 2.9 m (8.25 – 9.5 ft) and they weigh between 400 and 600 Kgs (880 – 1,320 lbs). They are silver/grey in colour and they have short dense fur that protects them from water temperatures as low as -2°C (28°F).
What do Weddell seal eat?
Weddell seals are top predators in the Antarctic. They eat an array of fish, bottom-feeding prawns, cephalopods and crustaceans. A sedentary adult eats around 10 kg (22 lb) a day, while an active adult eats over 50 kg (110 lb) a day. Cod icefish constitute the majority of their diet.