Elephant SealsJoe Fontanals
Characteristics
● Elephant seals can weigh up to 8,800 pounds
● They can be up to 20 feet long● Have a very dominant mating season● Noses used more as rebreather than to
smell● Do not have ears● Very thick heavy blubber keeping them warm● Store oxygen in their muscles for help
breathing undwater
Reproduction
These animals reproduce for one season where all elephant seals from the area beach in the same area. The largest and loudest seal is mated with all the female seals while the other males may not find the ability to mate because all the other females are not interested unless it is the dominant male. Once mating is done most seals leave to get food.
Feeding
These seals prey on fish and penguins also the male seal sometimes can kill the other males in anger to exploit dominance. They are attacked by themselves in mating season but eaten by sharks and orca whales.
Adaptations
● A rebreathing nose● Thick blubber to stay warm● large tail to swim fast● large chests to fight their other male seals● Loud throat and mouth noises to show
dominance and scare prey
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/seal_elephant_wrestling