Seals are marine mammals that inhabit most of the world's coastal areas, with the exception of tropical zones, although there are more exceptions. They are carnivorous animals and their type of prey will depend on the geographical area they inhabit, being able to hunt from fish to other species of seals. They are able to swim long distances and dive very deep to reach some prey thanks to their hydrodynamic body and are equipped with strong teeth that allow them to catch large prey. Likewise, the ways in which these animals hunt are similar in most species, although some may vary their hunting techniques.
If you want to know what seals eat and other details about their diet, don't miss this article on our site where we tell you all about it.
Feeding the seals
Seals are carnivorous animals that base their diet on capturing animal prey. Being a marine mammal, finds its food in the water and will depend on its abundance in the areas they frequent to hunt. Now, what exactly do seals eat? It could be said that, in general, the basis of their diet is made up of:
- fishes
- squid
- octopuses
- other cephalopods
- crustaceans
Likewise, many species that live in coastal areas and close to humans take the opportunity to feed on fishing discards.
On the other hand, due to the indiscriminate fishing of many species of fish, seals are often forced to hunt other types of prey, even smaller seals. Thus, depending on the species, they can hunt penguins, bird eggs and even small sharks in the case of species that live in the northern hemisphere. Likewise, beyond being marine animals, some species can venture into fresh waters to catch river fish.
How much do seals eat?
These animals spend many hours a day looking for their food, as they need a large quantity daily and are capable of eating more than 7 kg of food in one day. This is very important, since about 5% of its weight is made up of food.
How do seals hunt?
The phocids, as the seals are also known, are animals that spend most of their time in the water and that is where they look for their food. They have the ability to dive to depths of more than 600 meters, as is the case of the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) and to swim long distances to capture their prey, although others prefer to stay at depths of no more than 4 meters to search for food.
Once they grab their prey with their strong, powerful teeth, swallow it whole, since these animals do not chew, but break their food into smaller pieces. But how do seals find their prey to hunt? They have highly developed senses of vision and hearing, which makes it easier for them to search for food, for which they also use their limbs that, similar to fins, allow them to swim and move in the water as if they were a fish.. Added to this is the fact that they have whiskers or whiskers that perform tactile sensory functions and that also make it easier for them to find prey, so they are a vital tool when they dive to great depths and sunlight is scarce.
What and how do leopard seals eat?
We highlight the hunting technique of the leopard seal as it is different from that of many other seal species. Thus, the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), keeps in the water near the edges of ice shelves or the shoreline, where penguins congregate. Once one is thrown into the water, the leopard seal quickly swims up to capture it, drag it out of the water and consume it on land. This species is equipped with very long canine teeth that are perfect for retaining prey, while its molars act as a filter, so that, when closed, they can filter krill, another food with which they supplement their diet. In addition, this species is also capable of hunting out of the water, its favorite prey being penguin species present in Antarctica, although it can also hunt other smaller seals.
On the other hand, other species, such as the elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), are capable of descending to depths of around 2,000 meters to search for food, being able to remain for several minutes under the Water.
What do baby seals eat?
When they are born, baby seals are not able to catch their own food and, like other mammals, need their mother's milk to surviveBut unlike other species, seal mother's milk is extremely high in fat, with a caloric composition of 50%, which allows the baby seal to grow faster and survive for long periods in the absence of food. Mother.
During the first few days, the mother is in charge of nursing the calf and stays by her side so that it can feed in quantity and accumulate energy. The lactation season can last from 4 to about 50 days, depending on the species, and once they grow large enough and are weaned, they are able to dive and swim in search of food.
