Real sea ​​bump, the seal is one of amazing representatives of the animal world of our planet, connecting both marine and terrestrial lifestyles. In a broad sense, seals mean all representatives of the order of pinnipeds, mammals, in which, in the course of evolutionary transformations, instead of traditional paws, real flippers have developed. But usually seals mean animals from the family of real seals and our article is about them.

Seal: description, structure, characteristics. What does a seal look like?

The appearance of the seal is due to their aquatic lifestyle. On the one hand, the flippers, which gave the name to the whole species - "pinnipeds", turn these clumsy ground lumps into excellent swimmers. On the other hand, seals, unlike whales and dolphins, have not lost their connection with the land, where everyone also spends a lot of time.

All seals are rather large animals. So the mass of a seal, depending on the species, ranges from 40 kg (for seals) to 2.5 tons (for sea ones). Also, the body length of a seal varies from 1.25 meters for the seal - the smallest among the family of true seals, then 6.5 meters for the elephant seal, whose name eloquently speaks of the largest size of this species of seals. And interestingly, many seals of the same species can change their size depending on the season, as they tend to accumulate seasonal reserves of fat, which then disappear.

The shape of the seal's body is elongated and streamlined, the neck is short and thick, it is crowned by the seal's head, which is relatively small in size, but has a flattened cranium. The seal flippers have very developed hands and feet.

The body of the seal is covered with short and hard hair, which, on the one hand, does not impede their movement under water, and, on the other hand, protects its owner from the cold. The reserves of subcutaneous fat accumulated by seals for the winter also protect seals from the cold. In fact, this subcutaneous fat of seals performs a thermoregulatory function, allowing animals to easily endure the harsh Arctic and Antarctic cold. The coloration of most species of seals is gray or brown, some species have a mottled pattern.

When you look at a photo of a seal, it seems that this creature is very clumsy and slow on land, and this is true, because when moving, seals rely on their forelimbs and stomach, while their hind limbs simply drag along the ground. Moreover, given the rather large mass of seals, it is really difficult for them to move on the ground. But once in the water, the seals are completely transformed, there is no trace of the slowness and clumsiness that is characteristic of them on land - in the water they are able to reach speeds of up to 25 km per hour. In addition, seals are excellent divers, capable of diving up to 600 m deep.

True, seals can spend no more than 10 minutes under water, during which time the supply runs out, which is located in a special air bag (under the skin of the seal) and you have to return to land again.

The eyes of seals, although larger, nevertheless, their vision is not very well developed (as, indeed, in all aquatic mammals), all seals are myopic. But poor eyesight is perfectly compensated by good hearing and especially sense of smell, so seals are able to pick up smells at a distance of 300-500 meters. Seals also have so-called tactile whiskers (they are also called “whiskers”) with which they navigate among underwater obstacles. It is also worth noting that some species of seals have the ability to echolocation, although it is much less developed in them than in whales and dolphins.

In seals, with the exception of a few species, there is no sexual dimorphism, that is, males and females look the same (only in the hooded seal and elephant seal, males have a special “decoration” on the muzzle). As for the reproductive organs, in seals, like many other aquatic mammals, they are hidden in the folds of the skin and are not visible.

Where does the seal live

The habitat of seals is very wide, we can say that it is the entire globe. True, considering marine image life of seals, they all live on the coasts of the seas and oceans. Most species of these animals live in the cold latitudes of the Arctic and Antarctic, where, thanks to subcutaneous fat, they perfectly tolerate the local cold, but there are also such seals, such as the monk seal, that live in the warm Mediterranean.

Also several types of seals such as Baikal seal, live in the inland lakes of the continents.

How long do seals live

The life expectancy of seals depends on whether it is a male or a female, females live longer than males, on average, their lifespan is 35 years, alas, males live an average of 10 years less - 25 years.

Seals lifestyle

Seals, although they form group concentrations - the so-called rookeries on the shores of the seas and oceans, unlike other pinnipeds, they are much less characterized by a herd instinct. For example, they feed and rest separately, and only in case of danger they monitor the behavior of their fellows.

Also, seals are very peaceful creatures, they practically do not quarrel among themselves, with the exception, of course, of the mating season, when several males achieve one female, in such a situation even peaceful seals can be furious.

As we wrote above, on the shore, seals are clumsy and slow, therefore, on rookeries, they are specially located closer to the water in order to dive into the water surface in case of danger. Also from time to time they just dive into the water for prey and then we move on to the next point.

What does a seal eat

Seals are predators, and their main source of food is various marine life: fish, mollusks, crayfish, crabs. Such large seals, such as the leopard seal, will not mind eating, say,.

Enemies of seals

In turn, the seals themselves can become the prey of other larger marine predators: sharks, killer whales. Also, danger can await Arctic seals on the shore in the form of whites and people (for example, the Chukchi hunt seals since ancient times).

Types of seals, photos and names

According to the zoological classification, there are 24 species of true seals, we will describe the most interesting of them.

This species of seal is perhaps the most thermophilic among seals, as it prefers cold Arctic and Antarctic cold. warm waters Mediterranean, Hawaiian and Caribbean where it actually lives. Also, unlike other seals, it has a well-developed posterior part of the lower jaw. The body length of the monk seal is 2-3 meters and weighs 250 kg. It has a gray-brown color and a light belly, through which it received its second name - the white-bellied seal. Interestingly, in the past, monks also lived in the Black Sea, and they could be found on Black Sea coast our country, but Lately the population of these seals has been significantly reduced, by this moment all subspecies of the monk seal are listed in.

As you can guess from the name, the elephant seal is the most great view seals, its length can reach up to 6.5 meters with a weight of 2.5 tons. Also, some property with elephants gives not only big sizes, but also the presence of a hoto-shaped nose in male elephant seals. Depending on the habitat, elephant seals are divided into two subspecies: the northern elephant seal lives on the coast North America, and the southern elephant seal lives in Antarctica.

Named after the English explorer James Ross. This is a relatively small Antarctic seal, well, how small, its body length is about 2 meters and weighs 200 kg. It has a very thick neck in folds, in which it may well hide its head. Little studied, because it lives in remote areas of Antarctica.

The crabeater seal, so named for its gastronomic addiction to crabs, is also the most numerous seal in the world - according to various estimates, its number is from 7 to 40 million individuals. It has medium dimensions for seals - body length - 2.2-2.6 meters, weight - 200-300 kg, long narrow muzzle. These seals live in Antarctica and washing it south seas, often they like to arrange their rookeries on ice floes, swimming with them.

Named for its spotted coat and predatory behavior, among seals, this species is considered the most dangerous and aggressive. In particular, sea leopards do not disdain to attack smaller seals of other species, but penguins are their favorite delicacy. The size of the sea leopard is larger than that of many other species of seals, inferior only to sea ​​elephant, the length of his body can reach up to 4 meters with a weight of 600 kg. It lives along the coast of Antarctica.

Named after another Englishman - British navigator Sir James Weddell, former commander of the research expedition in the Weddell Sea, during which this species of seal was first discovered by Europeans. Among other seals, the Weddell seal stands out for its remarkable ability to dive and stay under water - while many other seals can be in the depths of the sea for no more than 10 minutes, this seal can swim for an hour. Also lives in Antarctica.

Unlike its counterparts described above, this seal lives in the Arctic, mainly on the coast of North America, Greenland. It differs from other seals in its spotted coloration.

This species of seals, represented by four subspecies (depending on their habitats), lives throughout the northern Arctic hemisphere: on the shores of North America, Scandinavia, in the northern part of Russia. Some subspecies of the harbor seal are endangered due to their poaching.

The long-faced seal is so named because of its length, as even for seals, the muzzle. The body length of the long-faced seal is 2.5 meters and weighs up to 300 kg. It lives in the North Atlantic: on the coast of Greenland, Scandinavia and Iceland.

Another of the northern seals, living on the coast of Greenland itself. They differ from other types of seals in their characteristic coloration: only they have a silver-gray coat, a black head, and a black horseshoe-shaped line that stretches from the shoulders on both sides. The harp seal is relatively small - its body length is 170-180 cm, weight - 120-140 kg.

It differs from other seals in its unusual striped coloration of white and black flowers. Inhabits the Bering, Okhotsk and Chukchi Seas. The body length of a striped seal is 150-190 cm, weight - 70-90 kg.

Seal

The seal is the smallest species of seal, its average body length is 1.5 meters and weighs up to 100 kg. But this is, on average, the smallest among the subspecies of seals - the Ladoga seal, which lives in Lake Ladoga proper, has a body length of no more than 135 cm and a weight of 40 kg. In general, seals live in cold and temperate waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans, as well as in large lakes and inland seas. Depending on the habitat, such subspecies as the Caspian seal, the Baikal seal, the Ladoga seal are distinguished.

seal breeding

Seals breed, and all species, only once a year. Their mating season usually begins at the end of summer. During this period, skirmishes between competing males seeking the attention of one female are possible. She, as expected, will eventually choose the strongest male for mating.

The pregnancy of a female seal lasts a year, after which only one baby is born. True, he is born already a fully developed and adapted seal. Baby seals have white skin, so they are also called pups. They cannot accompany their mother in the water, so they spend most of their time on the shore or on a drifting ice floe. Very quickly fed on fatty mother's milk, rich in proteins, they begin to grow up and increase in size until they become adult self-sufficient seals.

  • The age of a dead seal can be determined by the number of circles at the base of its fangs.
  • The mother's milk of a female seal is the fattest in its composition (fat content in it exceeds 50%), the same fatty milk is found only in whales.
  • The Latin name of the seal in our language is translated as "small guinea pig” (however, not quite small).
  • Seals, like humans, can cry, but unlike us, they do not have lacrimal glands.

seal, video

And finally, educational documentary about our today's heroes - "The mystery of the rookeries of the Caspian seal."


This article is available in English - .

An animal of the Arctic, the seal is a representative of the "real seals" family. These animals are distributed polarly and are found in all the seas that adjoin the Arctic Ocean. Harbor seals belong to the family of predatory mammals, the group of pinnipeds. They are related to the marten family. The Red Book lists two subspecies of seals (the European seal and the Steineger or island seal).

Seals inhabit the coastal waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, as well as Northern and Baltic Seas. The harbor seal is brown, gray or rufous in color and has characteristic V-shaped nostrils. Females in nature live 35, and males up to 20 years. This animal of the Arctic usually inhabits rocky places where there is no access for predators. The number of the global population of seals is from 400 to 500 thousand individuals. Some subspecies are in danger of extinction. For example. the subspecies Phoca vitulina is protected by the Wadden Sea Treaty.

general description

The length and body weight of seals varies greatly: from 1.5 to 6 m and from 95 kg to 3 tons. The smallest species of seal is the ringed seal, and the largest is the elephant seal. The latter are the largest among pinnipeds. Seals have developed sexual dimorphism, especially in species such as lionfish and hooded seals. But it is shown to the extreme in sea ​​elephants, whose males are the largest among all seals.

The shape of the seal's body is fusiform, the small head narrows noticeably in front. The neck is sedentary and short, the external auricles are completely absent. Vibrissae are located on upper lip in 10 rows. They are not as tough as those of walruses. The tail is well defined, but short. The front flippers are less than 25% of the entire length of the body, they are much smaller than the rear ones. In most species, the claws are well developed on all flippers. The fins do not have a skin-cartilaginous rim that supports their edges.

In newborns of some species, the fur is soft and thick, often white. It persists in seals for three or more weeks. In adults, the hairline is coarse, without pronounced underfur. Elephant seals have almost no hair at all. The coloration of the fur of seals is the most varied, and sometimes it is striped or spotted. During seasonal molt in seals, not only the coat changes, but also the horny layer of the skin, which peels off in whole layers.

Lifestyle and nutrition

The main species of seals settle along the coastline north of 30°N. sh. and south of 50°S sh., in temperate and cold waters of both hemispheres. They are few in the tropics, and are not found at all in the Indian Ocean. Seals also inhabit some freshwater lakes - Baikal and Ladoga.

Animal seal feeds on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. Sea leopard attacks penguins and other seal species. They swim by moving their hind flippers and helping themselves with the lateral bends of the muscular part of the body. If necessary, in short sections they develop speeds up to 25 km / h. Seals dive well, but on land they are clumsy and clumsy. This is due to their inability to rely on their rear flippers. They can only crawl, bending their body from side to side.

Seals are adapted to lead an aquatic lifestyle and to live in conditions low temperatures. A resident of the Arctic, the seal spends most of its time in the water. While diving, their nostrils and ear openings close tightly and do not allow water to penetrate inside, to the organs of smell and hearing. In the water, seals emit ultrasounds with which they can detect prey. The sound ricochets off the surface of the fish's body, and then it is picked up by the seals. Seals have poor eyesight, but their eyes are perfectly adapted to tracking prey underwater in low light.

The coat of the seal consists of short, sparse and coarse hair, has no undercoat and does not protect the body from hypothermia. This function is performed by a layer of subcutaneous fat. It, in turn, reduces specific gravity body of the animal, facilitating swimming.

Arctic seals feed on various aquatic organisms. Some species prefer shellfish and crustaceans, while others only eat fish. As carnivores, seals are similar in their tooth structure to predatory mammals. But, despite the fact that the life of seals is closely connected with aquatic environment, they have not lost contact with the land. Seals are forced to leave the water from time to time to sleep, molt and breed.

reproduction

During breeding, most seals stay in pairs. The seal is generally a monogamous animal. Only long-snouted seals and elephant seals are marked by polygamy. Seals molt and breed most often on the ice, and not on the shore. The duration of pregnancy is 280-350 days, after which the females give birth to one cub at a time. They feed their babies with fat, nutritious milk. A newborn seal cub is born already sighted, fully formed, relatively large, covered with thick fur. white color(in harp seals and ringed seals) or olive brown (in bearded seals). White baby pups are hardly noticeable against the background of ice floes covered with snow, which is extremely important for those of them that lie on the snow without cover (for example, among harp seals). But usually females hide their cubs from predators in snow holes between ice hummocks, which contributes to their survival to a greater extent. Baby bearded seals are also safe, as their mothers stay with them near the air-hole on the ice and during a blizzard they are brought on top of a thick layer of snow. So under the snow a spacious hole is formed, connected through an air vent with an exit under the ice.

In females, lactation lasts from one month in the northern elephant seal, up to 5 days in the hooded seal. In search of food, lactating females of hooded seals sail far into the sea, unlike females, for example, eared seals keeping close to the shore. Feeding usually stops when the cubs are not yet able to feed on their own. So, they are forced to starve from 2 to 12 weeks, surviving at the expense of accumulated fat reserves. But this does not prevent the population from maintaining its constant size.

The Arctic and Antarctic are the regions around the Northern and south poles Earth, respectively. As you know, our planet has the so-called earth's axis. It is invisible and passes through the upper and lower points of the planet. These very points are the Arctic and Antarctic. The animal world is also unique here.

More than 20,000 different species of plants, fungi, animals and microorganisms are known to inhabit the Subarctic and Arctic deserts. It is noteworthy that each organism living in such extreme conditions is unique in its own way. In this article, we are interested in the brightest inhabitants of the eternal arctic ice. Let's get to know them better and find out how the animals of the Arctic live and what they eat.

Harsh winter in the Arctic

Life near the extreme poles of the Earth is a real survival game. Winter in the so-called Subpolar region is generally a time of cold, hunger and, of course, darkness. For this reason, many animals of the Arctic and Subarctic move to wintering areas with a more benign climate. The fact is that life at high latitudes the globe oscillates like a giant pendulum.

For example, when winter reigns in the northern hemisphere of the planet, it retreats from the Arctic, advancing on the Antarctic. It is there that many birds roam at this time. When in summer period birds fly north, winter is already coming in Antarctica. Here is such a natural arithmetic. But we are not interested in the climate and the change of seasons in this area, but what animals live in the Arctic. We'll talk about this.

Arctic tern

Above, we compared life in the Arctic to the swing of a giant pendulum. If we continue to speak in the language of metaphors, then the tip of this very pendulum is inevitably embodied in the annual flights of a uniquely painted arctic bird - the arctic tern. In the so-called northern summer, it nests in the highest latitudes of the North, and when winter comes, it moves to the coast of the Antarctic Islands. Here are such mobile birds.

It is interesting to know what the animals of the Arctic that have wings and plumage eat, in particular, the arctic tern? The "menu" of this bird in such harsh conditions of survival is not very diverse. Arctic terns feed on small crustaceans, mollusks and fish, which they love to catch in Arctic waters. Every autumn and winter these birds make long flights- with a length of 10,000 km. They cross the equator to settle in the Arctic and not live in the eternal darkness of the polar night. For them, this is a real test!

Master of the Arctic

The generally recognized symbol of the North is, of course, the polar bear. Moreover, it is the largest land predator in the world. Adult males can reach 3 m (or more) from the muzzle to the edge of the tail and up to 1.5 m at the withers. Moreover, their weight can exceed a whole ton! A bear standing on its hind legs generally becomes a four-meter giant! But such individuals, fortunately, are quite rare here. Usually males weigh about 400 kg and females about 200 kg. The smallest polar bears found in southern Greenland.

The life of animals in the Arctic is also subject to certain laws of nature. For example, one of the conditions for survival in such extreme conditions is the ability to merge with environment. This is why many people in the Arctic have a light or clear white color. By the way, the color of the polar bear's coat cannot be called exclusively white. Polar bears usually stand out against the background of snow and ice with a certain yellowness of their cover. The fur of these predators is wavy, but tight to the body. Its length is also different. Very long hair covers the back of the animal's paws, and short hair covers its head.

Polar bears are mobile predators. They easily overcome deep snow and icy waters. Speaking about what the animals of the Arctic eat, one cannot fail to mention the diet of polar bears. These animals live on drifting sea ​​ice, where, in fact, they hunt. They are happy to bully seals, walruses, etc. As soon as the victim just sticks his head out of the water, the polar bear immediately stuns it with a lightning strike of a healthy paw, after which he pulls it out of the water onto the ice and regales itself with pleasure.

Another inhabitants of the Arctic - harbor seals!

What animals still live in the Arctic? Well, for example, sea seals. These mammals, like polar bears, are regulars in the icy Arctic deserts. Most famous for him hallmark is a beautiful and specific pattern on the skin. Another species of seals - bearded seals - are among the largest in the Arctic. Along with them, there are those with beautiful and expressive eyes, as well as ringed seals. This species is much smaller than its counterparts, but its representatives perfectly dig holes in the snow. Sea seals feed mainly on fish and shellfish.

Penguin to all penguins!

Penguins are birds that cannot fly. Among them there are also "kings". The king penguin is one of the largest species of these birds in the world. Its height reaches 1 m in height, and its weight is 15 kg. King penguins love to gather in numerous flocks on the islands of the Arctic. There they mate, after which they unite in colonies of more than 1000 individuals and raise new offspring. What do Arctic animals called king penguins eat? Of course, fish and small shellfish! By the way, these birds can dive into icy water to a depth of 50 m.

Eternal companion of the polar bear

It's about the northern fox. This is a small polar fox, which at all times is the companion of the polar bear. Unfortunately, these predators are exterminated for their thick and beautiful fur. They are currently under protection. Arctic foxes are animals of the Arctic and tundra (other natural areas located outside the northern limits of forest vegetation). In addition, they are real wanderers. Like polar bears, they roam the Arctic: leaving their native tundra is the most common thing for young polar bears. In summer, these beauties feed on small rodents, and in winter they pick up the remains of their food after polar bears. Such is the harsh living Arctic!

Animals of the Arctic. Wolverine

It is impossible not to mention the so-called demon of the North, or wolverine. This predator from the weasel family is a real glutton and a ferocious hunter. Often, wolverines attack livestock, and sometimes people, for which they were massively exterminated not so long ago. Currently, these animals are found only in remote corners of Alaska, Canada and Siberia. IN summer time As the years go by, the wolverine feeds on carrion, insect larvae, bird eggs, nuts, and fruits. This is explained by the fact that in summer these predators cannot hunt as professionally as in winter.

The largest right whale in the North

The bowhead whale is marine mammal. Its other name is baleen whale. What is interesting about this inhabitant of the northern waters? This is a member of the family of smooth whales. They are named so because of the absence of all kinds of furrows and stripes on the throat and belly. The maximum length of the bowhead whale is 22 m and weighs 140 tons. It lives in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth. These animals feed exclusively on plankton, consisting of crustaceans and molluscs. It's hard to believe, but an adult male bowhead whale is able to eat up to almost 2 tons of food every day!

Giant blocks of ice and snow-white expanses. The Arctic is one of the most mysterious places on the planet that scientists have yet to unravel. And, nevertheless, it is already known which of the representatives of the animal world lives there. Animal world The Arctic is the TOP-10 our topic today.

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10

Blue whale

Wildlife of the Arctic - TOP-10 - Blue Whale

Most large mammal planet lives in the waters of the Arctic. Adults weigh 100-120 tons. Unfortunately, today these unique creatures are listed in the Red Book as animals that are in dangerous state. Of all the whales, the largest was a female found near the South Shetland Islands. The female reached 33.27 meters in length, and her body weight was more than 176 kilograms. As a rule, whales do not grow to such gigantic sizes, but from time to time scientists discover such large individuals. Many people think that whales are fish, but in fact they are mammals. whales can for a long time be under water, but they need to constantly float outside to get some air. It is at these moments that you can see the famous fountains. The milk that females feed their young is 10 times more nutritious than cow's milk.

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10 — Polar bear

The largest predatory animal among the representatives of mammals. The weight of a polar bear ranges from 800 to 1000 kilograms. Polar bears need ice, the open sea and the coastal strip for a normal existence. The polar bears need the sea for food, and the coastal strips for building lairs. Polar bears are the only members of the bear family that feed exclusively on flesh.

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10 — Narwhal

This animal is the owner of the longest tooth. The narwhal has only 2 upper teeth, and the right tooth, as a rule, does not erupt. The left tooth of a marine animal can reach a length of 2-3 meters, while weighing up to 10 kilograms. The tusk is very strong and flexible, and the ends are able to bend different ways. So, the tusk can bend 31 centimeters in any direction without breaking. Scientists still cannot understand why the animal needs this tooth, but there is an assumption that it is needed for mating games and attracting females.

arctic tern

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10 — Arctic Tern

Tern is able to overcome unimaginable distances, flying from the Arctic to the Antarctic. In Antarctica, terns spend the winter. Of all known birds, Arctic terns have the longest flight times, which means birds see a lot more. sunlight annually than other animals, since they spend their "second summer" traveling south in winter.

White Owl

Wildlife of the Arctic - TOP-10 - Snowy Owl

The polar owl is the largest representative among the dangerous birds of the tundra. In length, adult males reach 55-65 centimeters, and their weight reaches 2.5 kilograms. Females are slightly larger than males, their body length reaches 70 centimeters, and their weight is 3 kilograms. The wingspan averages 140-165 centimeters. Like all owls, the snowy owl feeds on rodents and other small animals. Snowy owls' favorite delicacy is lemmings. One owl eats about 1600 lemmings a year. Less commonly, fish, small birds and hares are present in the diet.

Arctic shrew

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10 — Arctic shrew

These little animals are not only the smallest representatives of the animal world of the Arctic, but also the most voracious. There is an opinion that only large mammals may have a good appetite, but as it turned out, this is far from the case. The body length of the arctic shrew is only 5-9 centimeters, and the weight is 3-16 grams, however, the shrew eats 4 times more food daily than its own weight.

Reindeer

Wildlife of the Arctic - TOP-10 - Reindeer

Reindeer are one of the earliest domesticated animals. Deer were domesticated about 5-7 thousand years ago, but not so long ago, archaeologists found reindeer team, whose age was 15 thousand years ago. Deer differ from dogs in that they are very similar to their ancestors, while dogs are very different from wolves.

tundra swan

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10 — Tundra swan

And here is the most monogamous representative of birds in the Arctic. Every spring, the swan migrates to the Arctic to build its nest and, of course, lay its eggs. Swans form pairs, the duration of which is from 2 years to whole life. mating games birds occur on land and they look rather funny: the male walks in front of the female for a long time, stretching long neck and lifted the wings. During such "rituals" the swan does not forget to make various sounds. After a while, the couple flies to another place, where the same thing is repeated again.

Sea Elephant

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10 — Elephant Seal

The largest pinnipeds are elephant seals. Males reach 6.5 meters in length, and females are almost half their size - 3.5 meters. Males weigh about 3.5 tons, while females rarely weigh more than 900 kilograms. Elephants have very large noses that only stop growing when the elephant seal is eight years old. IN mating season the noses of animals increase in size.

Wildlife of the Arctic — TOP-10 — Walrus

The last place in the ranking goes to the thickest-skinned animal in the Arctic. The skin of walruses on the shoulders and neck can reach 10 centimeters, and the layer of fat up to 15 centimeters. The skin color of young walruses is dark brown, which becomes much lighter with age. In old age, males become almost pink. Interestingly, during bathing, walruses can turn white, which is associated with constriction of blood vessels.

The fauna of the Arctic is unique!

ICE OF THE ARCTIC

It seems incredible that where the temperature does not rise above -10 o C, the animals of the Arctic can live and breed. And yet even the coldest and most inhospitable parts of the Earth are inhabited. The fact is that some animals have adapted in a special way to keep warm own body. For example, the body of penguins under the plumage is densely covered with warm fluff, and the skin of polar bears is very thick and waterproof. In addition, all polar animals have a dense layer of fat under their skin.

Life for animals in Antarctica is possible only on the coast. The interior of the mainland is uninhabited.

Polar bear.

At the end of autumn, the female polar bear digs a den in the snow. In December - January, as a rule, two bear cubs are born, but only in spring will they leave the den for the first time.

A polar bear cub is born very small, blind, deaf and completely defenseless. Therefore, he lives with his mother for two years. The skin of this bear is very dense, waterproof and completely white, thanks to which it easily finds shelter among the whiteness of the surrounding ice. He swims remarkably - this is facilitated by the membrane, which connects the pads of his paws. The polar bear is the most large predator in the world.

The polar bear usually weighs between 150 and 500 kilograms. The mass of some representatives exceeds 700 kilograms.

Pinnipeds.

On cold ground and endless ice floes drifting in the Arctic live different kinds pinnipeds; these include fur seals, seals and walruses. By origin, these are terrestrial animals that have become accustomed to marine environment: in the course of evolution, their body adapted to life in water. Unlike cetaceans, pinnipeds were only partially modified by this adaptation. So the front legs of fur seals turned into flippers, on which they can lean on land to lift the upper body; seals have learned to move on the ground, crawling on their belly.

Pinnipeds have huge nostrils, and for a short time they can inhale the amount of air needed to stay underwater for about 10 minutes.

Pinnipeds feed not only on fish, but also on crustaceans, mollusks and krill, consisting of the smallest shrimps.

Fur seal look like sea ​​lion, but it has a thicker coat and a shorter and sharper muzzle. The male is much larger than the female and can weigh four times as much.

Sea Elephant. Most large view pinnipeds in the world: the weight of a male can reach 3500 kilograms. It is easily distinguished from the female by the swelling on its head, similar to a short trunk, from which it got its name.

Sea leopard. With its spotted skin, this seal resembles a predator of the cat family, from which it borrowed its name. The leopard seal is very aggressive and can sometimes even eat a fellow seal if it is smaller than it.

Walrus.

This long-toothed mammal lives in the Arctic seas, making short seasonal migrations. The male walrus is huge: it can weigh 1,500 kilograms, while the mass of a female rarely reaches 1,000 kilograms. The walrus has a massive wrinkled body covered with sparse bristles.

The strong voice of the walrus reminds at the same time both the roar of a lion and the lowing of a bull; while sleeping, on an ice floe or in the water, he snores loudly. Can rest for hours, lounging in the sun. The walrus is irritable and obstinate, but he will not be slow to come to the aid of his brother, who is attacked by hunters.

Long fangs are indispensable in the life of a walrus: he uses them, defending himself from enemies and drilling the seabed; with the help of fangs, the walrus climbs onto the shore and moves along the ice floe or land. The length of the fangs in larger representatives reaches one meter!

Baby walruses are fed by their mother for two years, and for the next two years they remain under her protection.

Under the skin of the walrus is a thick layer of fat, which serves as both protection from the cold and a reserve supply in case of hunger.

These are birds, but their wings are not adapted for flight: they are too short. With the help of wings, penguins swim like fish feast with the help of fins. Penguins are found only in the southern hemisphere. They live in large colonies on land, but some species can make long migrations on the high seas.

As a rule, penguins lay only one egg. Baby penguins find shelter from the cold in the lower folds of their parent's abdomen. The plumage of penguin chicks is usually dark brown, over time they acquire a characteristic black and white color, like in adults.

In the colonies emperor penguin sometimes there are 300 thousand individuals.