Seals are fascinating mammals that always attract curious minds. They are semi-aquatic creatures that belong to the Pinnipedia family alongside walruses and sea lions. They can be found in various types, including leopard seals, harbor seals, and gray seals. Here are some interesting facts that kids will love to know about seals.
1. Seals are mammals.
Even though seals may look like fish, they are mammals. This means that they breathe air, give birth to live young, and nurse their babies with milk.
2. Seals can hold their breath for long periods.
Seals are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath for over an hour underwater. The deepest recorded seal dive was by a Weddell seal, which went 2,388 feet deep.
3. Seals have a thick layer of blubber.
Seals stay warm in cold water due to their blubber, which is a thick layer of fat beneath their skin. It also helps them float and swim quickly in the water.
4. Seals have sharp teeth.
The teeth of a seal are razor-sharp and can grow up to two inches long. They use their teeth to catch and eat their prey, which includes fish, squid, and crustaceans.
5. Seals have excellent senses.
Seals have excellent vision both above and below the water line. They also have a great sense of hearing and can hear sounds underwater that humans cannot.
6. Seals are social animals.
Seals live in groups known as colonies or rookeries. These colonies can range from a few to thousands of seals.
7. Seals use vocalizations to communicate.
Seals communicate through a variety of sounds, including barks, grunts, and whistles. They use these sounds to communicate with each other and to locate their prey.
8. Seals migrate for food.
Seals migrate from one place to another in search of food. For example, gray seals very often migrate from Scotland to Iceland to feed on herring.
9. Seals can live up to 30 years.
Seals can live for as long as three decades when they are not threatened by predators or changing environments.
