Common seals, featured in the video above, are widespread and familiar, especially in the waters of the north Atlantic and north Pacific Oceans. Phoca sibirica, Baikal seal They move like an inchworm by pulling their heavy bodies forward with strong front flippers. The southern species has an extensive molting period in which considerable patches of hair and skin are . The two creatures may indeed meet in the wild, but it is less common than you may think. Cystophora cristata, hooded seal Northern elephant seals were once thought to be extinct due to commercial sealing in the 1800s. Northern elephant seals spend about 9 months of the year in the ocean. Elephant seals are the largest extant carnivorans, weighing up to 8,800 pounds. Pups are born in early winter from December to January. Their population has since rebounded to over 30,000 but their genes still carry the marks Northern elephant seal. Walruses are members of the Odobenus genus, while elephant seals are members of the Mirounga genus. When it comes to comparing a walrus vs elephant seal, their unique appearances and size differences often make it obvious which one is which. [11] Sexual dimorphism is extreme, with male elephant seals weighing up to 10 times more than females, [12] and having a prominent proboscis. Females are significantly smaller than males, but are also quite large, growing to about 10 feet long and weighing up to 1,300 pounds. Rollover the map to see colony locations. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Upper image: Photographer - Michal Utin. Phoca vitulina, harbor seal, Baltic Sea specimen Elephant seals are larger in every way when compared to walruses, which may come as a surprise to you. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Otaria byronia, southern sea lion These seals can dive for about 30 minutes and even sleep under the water. Arctocephalus pusillus, South African fur seal Humans rank in between, with a 1.4kg (3lbs) brain and give or take 86 billion neurons. Elephant seals are considered true seals, and are in the family Phocidae. Heres why each season begins twice. Some things that always pique his interest are old technologies, literature and all sorts of odd vintage goodness. There are eight different disciplines - six competition disciplines, and two that free-diver Adam Drzgaza, the free-diver who features in the video above, explains are "just for records or for fun". Northern elephant seal pups are black until they are weaned at about 6 weeks old, and they molt and turn light silver. Male Pacific Walruses can grow up to 1700kg in size and 3.6m in length. The death of a British marine biologist in Antarctica last month is thought to be the first human fatality caused by a leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx . On average, the southern elephant seal tends to be larger than the northern species. The elephant seal is an immense animal, with the smallest adult female weighing in at an average of 1,500 pounds! Its only natural predator is the orca. NOAA Fisheries is working to protect this species in many ways, with the goal that populations remain stable and do not fall to depleted or threatened levels. [2] The elephant seals evolved in the Pacific Ocean during the Pliocene period. There are two species of elephant seals, the northern and southern. Adult males use their large, inflatable noses during the winter breeding season to resonate sound when vocally threatening each other. Elephant seals are now protected from harm under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and their numbers have bounced back to a healthy population level. An elephants brain is about four times the size of a humans brain. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Both species are thought to have originated from monachinoid seals that made their way from the Atlantic into the Pacific about 15 to 20 million years ago when the barrier between the two oceans was open across central America. The largest land-dwelling mammal on earth, at seven tons, the African elephant is smaller than the blue whale for good reason: The buoyancy of water helps to counteract the blue whale's weight, and elephants are terrestrial. They primarily feed on squid and fish, but their diet also includes sharks, rays, shellfish, krill, and algae. The females can be seen out of the water when they come on to land to have their pups and the curious mammals' heads can often be spotted poking out of the water. - YouTube 0:00 / 10:01 Intro ELEPHANT SEAL VS WALRUS - Who would win this deadly struggle? [11] The beta bull helps the alpha by preventing other males accessing the females. Adults return to land between March and August to molt, with males returning later than females. A male southern elephant seal grows to about 16 feet and can weigh up to 11,000 pounds. Adam says that meditation is a crucial part of free-diving. A female elephant seal living in the north is about 10 feet long and weighs around 1,300 pounds. As females arrive, males collect a harem of 40 to 50 females. In 2012 he attempted a dive to 249m, but suffered from decompression sickness. 9 things to know about Holi, Indias most colorful festival, Anyone can discover a fossil on this beach. Phylum: | Chordata For example, walruses average anywhere from 7-12 feet long and weigh 800-4,000 pounds, while elephant seals average 10-16 feet long and can weigh 2,000-6,000 pounds! An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. [11] Also, elephant seals have the ability to fast for long periods of time while breeding or molting. Cystophorini [10], Males arrive at potential breeding sites in spring, and fast to ensure that they can mate with as many females as possible. [11], Sheathbills, Skuas, Western Gulls, and African feral cats have been reported to steal milk from the elephant seals' teats.[30][31][32][33]. They have one of the longest migrations of any mammal; some have been recorded traveling over 13,000 miles roundtrip. Distribution of elephant seal breeding colonies around the world today. Northern elephant seals can be found in California and Baja California, though they prefer to frequent offshore islands rather than the North American mainland. Pagophilus groenlandicus, harp seal Explore a billion-year-old volcanic mystery on Lake Superior, A journey of the senses through Abu Dhabi, These Lake Superior islands are no place for amateurs, Photograph by Marc Moritsch, Nat Geo Image Collection, Photograph by Chien Jung Lee, National Geographic Your Shot, Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, A journey of the senses through Abu Dhabi, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. As of 2018, there is only one known elephant seal held in human care. The northern elephant seal, somewhat smaller than its southern relative, ranges over the Pacific coast of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. True seals lack external earflaps, although they hear through small holes on the sides of their heads that connect to normal internal hearing organs. True seals, such as elephant seals, differ from other pinnipeds in two easy-to-recognize ways. Bats and agaves make tequila possibleand theyre both at risk, The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, 3 ways Jimmy Carter changed the world for the better, The meaning of the cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday, This disease often goes under-diagnosedunless youre white, The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. It is estimated that the adult male northern elephant seal can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. [11][24] By the time males reach eight to nine years of age, they have developed a pronounced long nose, in addition to a chest shield, which is thickened skin in their chest area. Vessel Strikes, Alaska, and the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina. How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. But these massive pinnipeds aren't called elephant seals because of their size.. They also develop a robust, thick neck with calloused skin that appears pink and light gray and creates a shield to protect them from harm when fighting other males. Adults are dark brown or gray. Privacy Policy. Neophoca cinerea, Australian sea lion That begs the question, if humans are outranked by animals such as elephants, why are we the self-proclaimed . Females come ashore and within a few days give birth to a pup conceived in the previous breeding season. Mirounga leonina, southern elephant seal The proboscis is considered a secondary sexual characteristic. Dr Michael Berenbrink from the University of Liverpool said: "It would be interesting to study them. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Fortunately, populations have rebounded under legal protections. [11] They display their dominance by showing their noses, making loud vocalisations, and altering their postures. Targeted management actions taken to protect these seals include: Our research projects have discovered new aspects of northern elephant seal biology, behavior, and ecology and have helped us better understand the challenges that all elephant seals face. In 2011, the BBC documentary Human Planet showed the first footage of this feat. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. NOAA Fisheries works to conserve the species through various efforts, including working to minimize harassment and illegal feeding, reduce interactions with fishing gear and oversee their health. The differences in form between females and males of the same species is called sexual dimorphism. Pinnipeds are carnivorous marine mammals with fin-like limbs. [12] Southern females tend to have a smaller, blunt nose compared to northern females. Mr Sietas did hold another free-diving world record for the longest underwater swim on one breath until that was broken by Goran Colak from Croatia who swam 273m during a 2011 competition in Italy. One reason the African elephant has enormous ears is to help dissipate its internal body heat. Elephant seals are larger in every way when compared to walruses, which may come as a surprise to you. They return to their rookeries in winter to breed and give birth. Breeding colonies in the north include the beaches of California and Baja California. [11] Females tend to dive a bit deeper due to their prey source.[11]. Pinniped phylogeny and a new hypothesis for their origin and dispersal. A recent tracking study of adult female elephant. This enables them to hunt the giant squid they eat. Not to mention tusks that can be 11 feet (3.5 meters for the commies). At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. elephant seal. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'animals_net-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',117,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-animals_net-large-leaderboard-2-0');Elephant seals spend most of their lives at sea, roaming the open ocean and the depths of the seas in search of food. A mother walrus is also extremely protective of her young, while an elephant seal mother leaves her young on their own once they have reached a month old. [34] The animal is protected in most countries where it lives. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. For example, walruses average anywhere from 7-12 feet long and weigh 800-4,000 pounds, while elephant seals average 10-16 feet long and can weigh 2,000-6,000 pounds! Histriophoca fasciata, ribbon seal These adaptations allow elephant seals to dive to such depths and remain underwater for up to two hours. Females begin breeding at age 36, and have one pup per breeding attempt. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Northern elephant seals live about 9 years and southern elephant seals live 20 to 22 years. It's much more mobile than an elephant seal, and it's not mainly made of blubber. [11], Elephant seals have a helpful feature in their bodies known as the countercurrent heat exchanger to help conserve energy and prevent heat loss. Just To Give You An Idea Of How Big They Are, This Male Weighs Around 3000lbs Image source: hootersbutwithcats #2 I Have Severely Underestimated The Size Of A Moose Image source: afriendlyuncle #3 I Never Knew What Absolute U N I T S Clydesdales Are Until I Saw This Picture Image source: reddit.com The seals return to their breeding grounds, known as rookeries, in winter. The female elephant seals and the male elephant seals have different hunting routines. [1], The oldest known unambiguous elephant seal fossils are fragmentary fossils of a member of the tribe Miroungini described from the late Pliocene Petane Formation of New Zealand. The most northerly breeding location on the Pacific Coast is at Race Rocks Marine Protected Area, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Some encounters end with roaring and aggressive posturing, but many others turn into violent and bloody battles. The leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx ), also referred to as the sea leopard, [3] is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the southern elephant seal ). [22], Elephant seals are able to slow down their heartbeat (bradycardia) and divert blood flow from the external areas of the body to important core organs. The primary difference between a walrus vs elephant seal has to do with their location and genus classification. [8] The generic name Mirounga is a Latinization of miouroung, which is said to have been a term for the seal in an Australian Aboriginal language. Pinnipeds are carnivorous marine mammals with fin-like limbs. Today, robust populations of northern elephant seals in the U.S. and Mexico are derived from those few hundred individuals that survived in Mexico. The average lifespan of a northern elephant seal is 9 years, while the average lifespan of a southern elephant seal is 21 years. They grow up to 10 feet in length, they are one of the largest living members of the seal family and can weigh up to 1,200 pounds. Walrus vs Elephant Seal: Lifespan Read on to learn about the elephant seal. [9], Elephant seals are marine mammals classified under the order Pinnipedia, which, in Latin, means feather- or fin-footed. nah, elephant trunks are super sensitive, it would most likely hurt the elephant. Diet Carnivore, Piscivores, Molluscivore Mating Habits MATING BEHAVIOR Polygyny REPRODUCTION SEASON December-March, August-November PREGNANCY DURATION 7-9 and 10-1 BABY CARRYING 1 pup INDEPENDENT AGE 20-27 days Southern elephant seals receive additional protection in various countries within their range. This size makes the elephant seal a very impractical pet. When he was found, Coolio was very malnourished, and had sustained injuries to his eyes.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'animals_net-banner-1','ezslot_0',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-animals_net-banner-1-0'); While he nearly made a full recovery, Coolios eyes were permanently damaged, and he was deemed non-releasable. The leopard seal is an agile predator found in the waters of the Antarctic. Elephant seals migrate in search of food, spending months at sea and often diving deep to forage. [4] It feeds on a wide range of prey including cephalopods, other pinnipeds, krill, fish, and birds, particularly penguins. In both species, male elephant seals can weigh up to 10 times more than females. [11] When elephant seals are born, they can weigh up to 36 kilograms (79 pounds) and reach lengths up to 122cm (4ft 0in). Have some feedback for us? [11] Cookie cutter sharks can take bites from their skin. Miroungini When breeding season arrives, males gather on land to define and defend their breeding territory. Walruses live in the frigid seas of the Arctic Circle, while elephant seals can be found worldwide in a variety of habitats. One day, this guy just kind of figured - "I spend most of my time on the internet anyway, why not turn it into a profession?" Northern elephant seals are protected throughout their range under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 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