Some encounters end with roaring and aggressive posturing , but many others turn into violent and bloody battles. Sea elephants, as these seals are sometimes called, give birth in late winter to a single pup and nurse it for approximately a month.
Can you pet elephant seals?
Seals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is against the law to touch, feed or otherwise harass seals. Harassment occurs whenever your behavior changes their behavior. The rule is to keep at least 50 yards, four car lengths, away — to give them their space.
Are elephant seals aggressive?
While males often become aggressive , this one's behavior is extreme. Last month, the seal bit the leg of a surfer in the ocean after the surfer fell on the animal. The bite caused no serious injury. ... “I saw the elephant seal come out of the water like a torpedo, angle down on the dog and land on him,” said Lowrey.
Is an elephant seal a predator?
Southern elephant seals are open ocean predators and spend much of their time at sea. They only come to shore to reproduce and to molt their fur. The rest of the year is spent feeding at sea, where they rest by floating at the surface and feed by diving to significant depths in search of large fishes and squids.
What is the elephant seals behavior?
Behavior and Diet
Northern elephant seals spend about 9 months of the year in the ocean. 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. They are rarely seen out at sea for this reason.
Why is it illegal to touch a seal?
All marine mammals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act which makes it illegal to touch harass or alter their normal behavioral pattern in any way. Doing so can result in heavy fines and arrest.
What happens if a seal bites you?
If seal finger is left untreated, it can cause a severe infection that makes it hard for people to use their hands, according to the 2009 report. M. phocacerebrale can cause a bacterial skin infection known as cellulitis, in which the skin becomes swollen, red and tender.
Why do elephant seals have big noses?
Elephant seals aren't named for their size. Rather, the males develop noses that kind of look like elephants' trunks . They inflate their noses in order to scare other males away — to mate, they have to fight for dominance.
Has a leopard seal ever attacked a human?
Although rare, there are a few records of adult leopard seals attacking humans . There has also been one fatality, when a researcher was snorkelling in Antarctic waters and was killed by a leopard seal.
Are elephant seals in danger of becoming extinct today?
Today, elephant seals are not in danger of becoming extinct . This is because laws are now in place to protect their populations.
What is a female elephant called?
An adult male is called a bull elephant, while an adult female is known as a cow . Fans of the baby elephant and its adult counterpart can visit elephants in the zoo as well as in their native lands. There is a great deal of symbolism surrounding the elephant.
What is the biggest elephant seal ever recorded?
These seals are famous for being big. They are the biggest of pinnipeds – bigger even than walruses – there being a record of a giant male Southern elephant seal that was between 6.5 and 6.8 m long and weighed over 4000 kg (Carwardine 1995).
Is an elephant seal bigger than a killer whale?
The females hunt in an open ocean while the male elephant seals search for food on the ocean floor. On the hand, the males weigh about 2200 to 4000 kilograms (5000 to 9000 lb) and it is about 4.2 to 5 metres (14 to 16 feet) long. ... For, killer whales are expected to grow to up to 32 feet and weigh more than 5,000kg.
What do elephant seals eat in Antarctica?
Diet and feeding
After breeding or moulting, southern elephant seals migrate south to Antarctica to feed on squid and fish at the edge of the sea-ice. They travel long distances to their foraging areas. Males forage mainly on the Antarctic continental shelf.
Do elephant seals fight to the death?
Do big males fight to the death? Rarely . During the breeding season, bulls battle each other for the right to breed with the females. These confrontations are often bloody, but rarely result in serious injury to either bull.
