Seal

Seals are marine mammals belonging to the group known as pinnipeds, which also includes sea lions and walruses. More than thirty species live in oceans from the polar regions to temperate coasts, although many are closely associated with Arctic and Antarctic seas. Their streamlined bodies, powerful flippers and thick layer of blubber make them well adapted to swimming and diving in cold water.

Unlike sea lions, true seals cannot rotate their hind flippers beneath their bodies, so they move on land by wriggling or pulling themselves forward with their front flippers. Large eyes help them see underwater, while long, highly sensitive whiskers detect the movements of fish and other prey even in dark or cloudy water.

They can also remain underwater for long periods by storing oxygen efficiently in their blood and muscles. Most seals feed on fish, squid, crustaceans or other marine animals, although the exact diet varies from one species to another. They usually give birth to a single pup, which is nursed with rich milk that allows it to grow rapidly in cold environments.

Many species gather in large colonies during the breeding season, while others spend much of the year alone at sea. Seals play an important role in marine food webs and are prey for predators such as orcas and polar bears. Today, several populations are affected by climate change, shrinking sea ice, pollution, entanglement in fishing gear and disturbances caused by human activities along the coasts.