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They are the largest extant carnivorans, weighing up to 4,000 kilograms (8,800 lb). Despite their name, elephant seals are not closely related to elephants, and the large proboscis or trunk that males have was convergently evolved.
Elephant Seals. Scientific Name: Mirounga. Type: Mammals. Diet: Carnivore. Group Name: Colony. Average Life Span: 9 years (northern); 20 to 22 years (southern) Size: Up to 20 feet. Weight: Up to...
Jan 21, 2022 · Elephant seals are considered “true seals” and are characterized by having no external ear and reduced limbs. They have a more streamlined body and move easily in the water. Because of their...
Jun 5, 2024 · Elephant seal, either of the two largest pinnipeds (aquatic mammals of the suborder Pinnipedia): the northern elephant seal (species Mirounga angustirostris), now found mainly on coastal islands off California and Baja California; or the southern elephant seal (M. leonina), found throughout.
Elephant seals are large marine mammals and are the largest extant carnivorans that can weigh up to 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb). Elephant seals are classified under the order Pinnipedia, which, in Latin, means feather- or fin-footed.
The elephant seal is in the phocid, or true seal, family. It lacks external ear flaps and moves on land by flopping on its belly. The elephant seal has a broad, round face with very large eyes. Pups are 3 to 4 feet (1 m) long at birth and weigh about 70 pounds (32 kg).
Southern elephant seal (young males): collective mudbath during moulting. As for the duration, depth and sequence of dives, the southern elephant seal is the best performing seal. In many regards, they exceed even most cetaceans.
The northern elephant seal lives in the eastern Pacific Ocean. They spend most of their time at sea, and usually only come to land to give birth, breed, and molt. These activities occur at rookeries that are located on offshore islands or remote mainland beaches.
Elephant Seal Habitat and Diet. The elephant seal is almost entirely aquatic, coming ashore primarily to breed. Its range is mostly in warm waters. Elephant seals presumably feed in deep water and eat squid, and fish, including small sharks and rays. They can fast as long as 3 months.
The elephant seal is a distinctive marine mammal known as a “pinniped.” Pinniped include are seals, sea lions, and walruses. Known for their large nose, which is called a “proboscis,” elephant seals are an incredibly unique species of animal. Read on to learn about the elephant seal. Juvenile Elephant Seal.
