Thanks to the popularity of Shark Week, seals have become known as the cute cuddly snack that sharks enjoy. Aside from being absolutely adorable, seals are some of the coolest animals to watch and be in the water with. Below are some incredible seal facts that may make you wonder, “Why isn’t there a Seal Week?”
They Hunt With Their Whiskers
Whiskers are one of seals’ attributes that add a lot to their cuteness, but what they use them for isn’t so precious. Whiskers, also known as vibrissae, are what seals use to detect the vibrations of their prey in unclear waters.
Over 30 Species
There are over 30 different species of seals ranging from the southern elephant seal (about 13 feet long) to the Galapagos fur seal that maxes out at about 4 feet in length.
Seals are Insulated
Blubber is more than just a fun word to say. Seals have a hefty layer of blubber (fat) directly under their skin and fur to protect them from the cold. Blubber actually contains blood vessels that become narrower as the seal enters colder waters. The narrowing of the blood vessels helps reduce blood flow and saves seals a lot of the energy they would have to use to stay warm otherwise.
Seals Are Natural SCUBA Divers
Seals have large amounts of oxygen-carrying compounds (hemoglobin and myoglobin) in their blood and muscles. These compounds help them store oxygen much longer than most other creatures, which makes them ideal divers and swimmers. When seals dive deep into the ocean, they slow their heart rates drastically and restrict blood flow to certain organs, so they can stay underwater longer (roughly 2 hours for some seals).
A Female Seal is a Cow
Although we generally think of spotted creatures grazing in pastures when we hear the word “cow,” female seals actually take the name as well. Similarly, male seals are called bulls, so think twice the next time someone tells you they saw a bull and a cow at the beach.
