Animale
Grey seal
Whiskers, flippers and two habitats: a marine mammal that hunts underwater but gives birth on land.
Lingua dei contenuti
The grey seal lives between sea and shore. Its natural range includes the North Atlantic, the North Sea and the Baltic. It finds food in the water but comes ashore to rest, moult and give birth. A seal is a mammal: the female feeds her pup with fat-rich milk. Resting and breeding sites are therefore as much a part of its habitat as its fishing grounds.
During underwater hunts, vibrissae, the sensitive whiskers around its muzzle, detect movements in the water caused by prey. Its diet consists mainly of fish, including herring and cod, together with cephalopods and crustaceans. An elongated head, spotted grey coat and lack of external ear flaps give it a distinctive outline. Males are larger than females and have a more strongly curved nose profile.
At Borysew, Dawid the seal takes part in medical training. These exercises link contact with his keepers to everyday animal care. Watching a seal offers a clear comparison between its movements while swimming and while resting out of the water.
Per bambini
A seal moves quite differently in the water and on the shore. This animal from the North Atlantic and Baltic hunts at sea but returns to land to rest. Seal pups are born there too. Their mother feeds them rich, fatty milk. A seal is a mammal, just like you, although it has flippers instead of hands and feet like ours.
The whiskers around its muzzle are called vibrissae. They are very sensitive and help detect water moving around prey. Seals eat fish such as herring and cod, as well as other sea animals. Dark spots mark their grey fur, and no ear flaps stick out from their heads. At Borysew, Dawid the seal practises medical training with his keepers. Watch quietly as his long body moves through the water.
Domanda 1 di 2
Which feature helps a seal detect water movements caused by prey?
- Posizione
- Seal pool, stop 8 on the zoo map.