Seals, Manatees, and Seals, Manatees, and Marine MammalsMarine Mammals

By: Alex DichterenkoBy: Alex Dichterenko

Origins of SealsOrigins of Seals

• Order Carnivora Order Carnivora

• Originated from terrestrial carnivoresOriginated from terrestrial carnivores

• Traditional Classification is PinnipediaTraditional Classification is Pinnipedia

• 8 pinnipeds in the North Atlantic8 pinnipeds in the North Atlantic– WalrusWalrus − Grey seal− Grey seal

− − Common seal Common seal − − Ringed sealRinged seal– Harp seal Harp seal − Bearded seal− Bearded seal– Hooded sealHooded seal − Mediterranean − Mediterranean

Monk sealMonk seal

ClassificationClassification

• 34 species34 species• 3 Familes3 Familes

I. Ear SealsI. Ear SealsII. WalrusesII. WalrusesIII. True SealsIII. True Seals

1. Phocinae1. Phocinae Found in Northern HemisphereFound in Northern Hemisphere2. Mochinae2. Mochinae Found mostly in the Southern Found mostly in the Southern

Hemisphere Hemisphere with the exception of with the exception of Monk Seal Monk Seal

Living Areas, Migration, Living Areas, Migration, Feeding, and SealingFeeding, and Sealing

• Live in Cold seas, with Live in Cold seas, with one exception.one exception.

• Mediterranean Monk Mediterranean Monk seal, located seal, located Southeastern part of Southeastern part of North Africa.North Africa.

• Migratory patterns Migratory patterns vary from species and vary from species and could occur over vast could occur over vast or short distances.or short distances.

• May only include part May only include part of the population.of the population.

• Most seals Eat fishMost seals Eat fish• Crustaceans and Crustaceans and

cephalopods have cephalopods have been found in their been found in their diet too.diet too.

• Seals have been Seals have been hunted since the stone hunted since the stone age, and it still age, and it still continues in places continues in places like Greenland and like Greenland and Canada.Canada.

Common Seal Common Seal (Harbor seal)(Harbor seal)

Description: Small seal Description: Small seal with a rounded head, with a rounded head, V shaped nostrils, and V shaped nostrils, and eyes that are eyes that are equidistant from the equidistant from the ears and nose.ears and nose.

Coloration: Coats are Coloration: Coats are typically spotted typically spotted

Ringed SealRinged Seal

Description: A small Description: A small thickset seal, with thickset seal, with a small rounded a small rounded head. It has a short head. It has a short wide muzzle and wide muzzle and white whiskers.white whiskers.

Coloration: Typical Coloration: Typical with large white with large white rings on adults. rings on adults.

Harp SealHarp Seal

Description: Medium sized Description: Medium sized seal with a slightly seal with a slightly pointed head.pointed head.

Coloration: Coat color Coloration: Coat color changed with age.changed with age.

1.1. Newborns: White coat for Newborns: White coat for 12 days, then they 12 days, then they develop a grey coat develop a grey coat which is shed after 21 which is shed after 21 days.days.

2.2. Juveniles: Grey coat with Juveniles: Grey coat with some small black spots.some small black spots.

3.3. Adults pattern can very. Adults pattern can very.

Grey sealGrey seal

Description: Medium size Description: Medium size seal with a rectangular seal with a rectangular horse like head. The horse like head. The nostrils are widely nostrils are widely separated.separated.

Coloration: Have a dark Coloration: Have a dark grey coat on their grey coat on their back and a light grey back and a light grey on their belly. Toped on their belly. Toped with irregular spots with irregular spots and blotches.and blotches.

Bearded sealBearded seal

Description: large seal Description: large seal with a small head and with a small head and short fore flippers. This short fore flippers. This makes the seal appear makes the seal appear longer.longer.

Coloration: Adults have a Coloration: Adults have a darker shade on their darker shade on their backs then on their backs then on their stomachs. stomachs. Juveniles have a long Juveniles have a long rippled coat with up to rippled coat with up to 4 pale transverse 4 pale transverse bands. bands.

Hooded SealHooded Seal

Description: Robust seal Description: Robust seal with short flippers. with short flippers. Whiskers are dark on Whiskers are dark on the young and light on the young and light on the adults.the adults.

Coloration: Coat is silver-Coloration: Coat is silver-grey with irregular grey with irregular black spots. The black spots. The muzzle of adults is muzzle of adults is black.black.

Mediterranean Monk SealMediterranean Monk Seal

Description: Medium Description: Medium sized seal with short sized seal with short fore flippers and a fore flippers and a tubular body. It has a tubular body. It has a flat head and the eyes flat head and the eyes are widely separated. are widely separated. The nostrils point up The nostrils point up not forward.not forward.

Coloration: Most are Coloration: Most are dark brown with the dark brown with the belly slightly lighter belly slightly lighter then the back.then the back.

WalrusWalrus

The walrus family consists of The walrus family consists of just a single species. Lacks just a single species. Lacks external ears like true external ears like true seals, but it can not seals, but it can not support its body with hind support its body with hind flippers.flippers.

Description: Has tusks that Description: Has tusks that can grow up to 50 cm long. can grow up to 50 cm long. The tusks grow with age, The tusks grow with age, fore flippers have claws.fore flippers have claws.

Coloration: It has a very Coloration: It has a very distinctive mustache made distinctive mustache made up of sensory hair, and a up of sensory hair, and a skin up to 8 cm thick.skin up to 8 cm thick.

ManateesManatees

• An order of Mammals known as An order of Mammals known as Sirenia, named for the mermaids of Sirenia, named for the mermaids of Greek MythologyGreek Mythology

• Eat plants, mangrove leaves, and Eat plants, mangrove leaves, and mussels. (possibly fish)mussels. (possibly fish)

• Hunted by local people for meat and Hunted by local people for meat and oil. Populations threatened by oil. Populations threatened by hunting and collisions with boats. hunting and collisions with boats.

West African ManateeWest African Manatee

Description: Typical Description: Typical manatee, slim with a manatee, slim with a short head, and short head, and paddle shaped flippers paddle shaped flippers and tailand tail

Coloration: Hairless with Coloration: Hairless with the exception of some the exception of some white bristles on its white bristles on its upper lip. Skin color is upper lip. Skin color is a grey-browna grey-brown

West Indian ManateeWest Indian Manatee

Description: Plump with Description: Plump with flexible paddle-shaped flexible paddle-shaped limbs. Has two limbs. Has two semicircular nostrils semicircular nostrils and 3 to 4 claws on and 3 to 4 claws on their flippers.their flippers.

Coloration: Grey-brown Coloration: Grey-brown skin that can have a skin that can have a greenish tint caused greenish tint caused by algal growth.by algal growth.

Marine CarnivoresMarine Carnivores

• 3 species other then seal that are 3 species other then seal that are regarded as Marine carnivores are regarded as Marine carnivores are the:the:– Sea Otter Sea Otter – South American Marine OtterSouth American Marine Otter

Only two species of otter that live exclusively Only two species of otter that live exclusively in the sea.in the sea.

– Polar BearPolar Bear

Polar BearPolar Bear

• Description: Description: Rectangular head, Rectangular head, white coat, and great white coat, and great big oar like paw big oar like paw helpful for swimming.helpful for swimming.

• Coloration: White coat Coloration: White coat with black nose and with black nose and feet.feet.

• Food: Seals, Belugas, Food: Seals, Belugas, fish, and sometimes fish, and sometimes birdsbirds

Sea and coastal OttersSea and coastal Otters

Description: Mustelid Description: Mustelid with small ears and a with small ears and a large tail, web feet, large tail, web feet, brown coats with brown coats with heavy fur.heavy fur.

Coloration: Dark brown Coloration: Dark brown back, belly and tail back, belly and tail paler sometimes white.paler sometimes white.

Food: Coastal fish, eels, Food: Coastal fish, eels, butter fish.butter fish.

The EndThe End