Experts say that elephant seals (Mirounga) are the largest carnivores. Many people think that a mammal is so called because of its large size, but this opinion is erroneous. Elephant elephants have a small outgrowth in the nose, which is very similar to the trunk.
Material Content:
Northern and southern elephant species
Sea elephants look very much like seals (body shape, flippers, size, weight). But still you can’t confuse these animals with each other.
Description of the species and features of the elephant seal are as follows:
- The body is rather fat, streamlined.
- The head is small, the males have a pronounced trunk (up to 30 cm), on which there are long whiskers with high sensitivity. They help while hunting for prey.
- The extremities are replaced by fins, on which sharp claws can be observed (5 - 7 cm).
- The skin is thick, gray or brown, covered with a coat of wool on top.
Sea elephants are clumsy; most of the time they spend in a dream or bask on the shore.
The animal may fall asleep under water and not choke. This is due to the fact that after falling asleep, the chest increases and the elephant elephant floats to the surface. His nostrils open and the animal breathes for 3 to 4 minutes. Then it again falls under water. Such a process is considered truly unique.
Zoologists distinguish 2 species of elephant seals: southern and northern. Each of them has its own characteristics.
Southern elephant seal:
- The animal is 5 m long and weighs 2.5 tons. These are the parameters of an adult male. Females are much smaller (length - 3 m, weight - up to a ton).
- The animal is not afraid of frost. 35% of all body weight is allocated to subcutaneous fat.
- The southern elephant seal can be immediately distinguished by its unusual color.In adults, it is brown in color, in young animals it is light silver.
Northern elephant seal (features):
- Both females and males have a trunk that differs in length.
- The northern elephant is not as large as the southern. The length of the animals does not exceed 4 m.
- The color is light brown.
Zoologists note that despite its obesity and slowness, the animal feels confident in the water. It can reach speeds of up to 25 km / h.
Where animals live
The habitat of elephant seals depends on the species of animal. The northern species feels great on the subantarctic islands and in North America. Animals do not like loneliness, therefore they live in packs. On pebble beaches with their naked eyes you can see their rookeries.
Southern elephant seals live in Antarctica. Animals are rare, so hunting is prohibited.
Lifestyle and habits
Sea elephants love the water element. They spend most of their life under water. They can dive to a depth of 1400 m, while they have enough oxygen for almost 2 hours.
The enemies of the elephant seals are killer whales and white sharks, which await the animal in the water. They attack suddenly, injure elephant seals, arrange a real hunt with a chase.
On land, the animal spends a little time, mainly in order to conceive cubs. The mating season of elephant seals is very stormy. Animals are not monogamous, therefore males have whole harems, consisting of 20-30 females.
In the mating season, real battles begin for the possession of the female. Older elephant seals (7–9 years) displace young males (2–3 years) over the edge of the colony. All this happens in fierce battles.
Despite the fact that the animals are quite obese and not particularly agile, they fight desperately for possession of the female. The elephant seal "stands" on the back flippers, actively waving its trunk to frighten the opponent. If contractions cannot be avoided, the animals inflict serious injuries on each other with their fangs. After the mating season, new scars can be seen on their skin, which indicate a duel.
The female pregnancy lasts as long as 11 months. As a result, one calf is born, weighing about 20 kg, 80 cm long. The mother feeds the offspring with milk for up to 5 weeks, after which she leaves the calf.
The young growth lies on the shore for a month and watches how adults behave in the water, learning from them the basic rules of survival.
After a month, the cubs go on their first voyage to get their own food.
Power Features
Animals feed on marine life. Among your favorite delicacies, you can distinguish shellfish, small sharks, shrimp, fish.
The molars of the animal are poorly developed, so it is not possible to chew food thoroughly. Sea elephants prefer to swallow it, so prey with a soft body is the best option for them.
Population and species status
More recently, the northern elephant seals were on the verge of extinction. Many zoologists even considered them extinct. But, fortunately, one small colony of animals was discovered.
Northern elephant seals are protected. Hunting for them is prohibited, violation of this rule threatens a real prison term.
Northern elephant seals breed well in the wild. Experts note that the annual population growth is 15%.
The situation with the southern elephant seal is better. Colonies along the coast are many. Despite the great death of the young, the species is not threatened with extinction.
Interesting Facts
The elephant seal is an unusual animal.
Zoologists note the following interesting facts:
- A few months before the mating season, the males sail to the place where they were born. Their main tasks are to choose a territory for mating with a female. In addition, they must protect their rookery, recapture it from other males that encroach on the territory. As a result, females choose a dominant male.
- Young elephant seals learn to get their own food.As a rule, young animals are united in groups so that there is a greater chance of survival.
- Young males reach puberty by 6 years. But the battle for the female begins to lead to 10 years.
- Stones are often found in the elephant’s stomach. They contribute to the normalization of the digestive tract, helping to digest whole swallowed food.
Sea elephants often suffer from the activities of a person who is not averse to hunting for them. Now these animals are under state protection. Any attempt to break the law is severely punished.
