Iinteresting Facts about Weddell Seals
The Weddell seals have the southern most range of any seal. They were discovered and named by James Weddell in 1820s. Did you know that they spend most of their time below the Arctic ice? The Weddell seals have been known to blow air into cracks in the ice. This surprise tactic puts the smaller fish to flight which are easier to catch for the seal. Their pups can swim after two about weeks of their birth. They can stay under water for about 45 minutes. Also, they can dive up to 2000 feet down. They are the only species in the genus Leptonychotes. While diving below the surface of ice, they must surface to breathe. If natural openings are not available, it will open air holes in the ice pack by using its teeth. Newly born pups are silver or golden, while the mature seals are grey. Both male and female weddell seals are normally of the same size, while females can be slightly larger than males sometimes. They can grow 3 meters in length and weigh between 400-600 kg. They have very loud calls. Their calls can reach a frequency of 70 KHz which is well beyond human hearing which levels out at about 18KHz. |
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