To stay underwater so long, southern elephant seals exhale before diving to get gases out of their bodies. Given its size the gorilla would never stand its ground unless it had a baby to protect or it was cornered. Southern elephant seals breed on land but spend their winters in the frigid Antarctic waters near the Antarctic pack ice. Like our cherished Assateague ponies, seals are large wild animals and can be extremely dangerous. The largest, the Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), can reach up to 4,000 kilograms (8,818 lb), while females of the smallest, the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), reach only 150 kilograms (331 lb). That is because they are not slow, and they have powerful bite that can cut through your flesh. They were hunted for their blubber during the sealing days. Likewise, can an elephant seal kill a human? Elephant seals are able to slow down their heartbeat (bradycardia) and divert blood flow from the external areas of the body to important core organs. Elephant seals can hold their breath for over 80 minutes, longer than any other non-cetacean mammal. Accordingly, are Elephant Seals dangerous to humans? Once common throughout Africa and Asia, elephant populations have experienced significant declines over the last century. MALES HAVE MASSIVE, INFLATABLE SNOUTS. So we close the beaches to people because people are dangerous to elephant seals and elephant seals are dangerous to people. "Bottom line is, he's very dangerous," said Allen. The greatest threat to African elephants is poaching for the illegal ivory trade, while Asian elephant populations are most at risk from habitat loss and resulting human-elephant conflict. Can an elephant seal kill a human? The pressure, 90 times greater than at the surface, would kill humans.Apr 24, 1988 What is the biggest animal in Antarctica? Increased contact with people eventually leads seals to habituate to humans. Northern elephant seals have a diet of mostly squid and fishes, but also rays and sharks. If you wanna pet something go to a petting zoo. Elephant seals are not aggressive unless they are defending their territory or young. The pressure, 90 times greater than at the surface, would kill humans . If people disturb elephant seals, that can cause them to displace pups and females and males. They were almost hunted to extinction in the 19th and 20th centuries but … What is the most dangerous seal? 3X the oxygen concentration of humans - Elephant seals carry more than three times the amount of oxygen for every unit of body mass relative to humans. The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) is one of two species of elephant seals.It is the largest member of the clade Pinnipedia and the order Carnivora, as well as the largest extant marine mammal that is not a cetacean.It gets its name from its massive size and the large proboscis of the adult male, which is used to produce very loud roars, especially during the breeding season. Female leopard seals, the larger of the two sexes, can grow up to 590 kg (1,300 pounds) and ... 2. Elephants can be dangerous animals. 9) The Elephant seal do have predators, mainly Orcas, and in the northern most part of their range.. Large sharks. Leopard seals have also been known to attack and kill stray young. What is a predator of a seal? 31 Votes) Killer whales are the only species known to eat leopard seals. They would rather not encounter humans. They are capable of crushing any other land animal. leopard seals. How many elephant seals are left in the world? Sometimes leopard seals smile. They can also … They dive to an average of 1,300 to 2,100 feet and sometimes to 3,000 feet, nearly twice as deep as any other seal species. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to light the city a year. We are trying to provide a safe place for elephant seals… The pups are adorable, are friendly and will approach humans, but touching a baby seal hurts the chances of it reuniting with its mother, Chandler said. And in Point Reyes, the colony of elephant seals is expanding and moving closer to areas accessible to the public. 4. Leopard Seals Can Also Be Very Dangerous to Humans. Sadly, there is a flip side to Paul Nicklen’s amazing encounter. It can be a dangerous endeavor to try to study these creatures, and in one case, leopard seals have been known to kill a human. 4.4/5 (22 Views . When it comes to human fears of the animal world, snakes and spiders are right up there. Ranked as the third largest pinniped (seal) in the world, after the walrus and the elephant seal, the leopard seal is an amazing creature that can be both fascinating and dangerous at the same time. The northern elephant seal is the second largest seal in the world, after the southern elephant seal. Most of the time this is during breeding season when they have higher levels of hormones and they are more irritable. If you have never heard the expression "elephant rage", it is applied to periods of adiante rage that have no explanation. 7) Elephant seals can be found across the Antarctic region, but are most prevalent around the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. Northern elephant seals spend much of the year—generally about 9 months—in the ocean. Every year they migrate back to the beaches where they were born (and where they molt during the summer). Elephant seals spend most of their lives at sea and only return to land to mate. They would suffer oxygen decompression sickness if they did not, the same fate that can impact scuba divers. Elephant seals are more aggressive than gorillas and have been known to attack humans, and cars. Can elephant seals kill humans? Some seals do enjoy paying around with humans simply because they can be playful animals, but that does not mean you should get close to them and touch them. Elephant seals spend about 20 percent of their lives on land and about 80 percent of their time in the ocean. Although they are aquatic animals, seals on sand can outrun humans. In the sea, they can swim at a speed of 5 to 10 km/hr. Seals have been known to attach humans too that come too close to them. They store O 2 in blood and muscle by attaching it to special protein molecules called globins.Avoiding gas in their lungs prevents some problems such as decompression sickness. Leopard Seal Kills Scientist in Antarctica. These two species live north of the sea ice, and breed in harems on beaches. Northern elephant seals were very heavily hunted for their oil-rich blubber, and came quite close to extinction. Elephant seals are now protected from harm under the Marine Mammal Protection Act , and their numbers have bounced back to a healthy population level. The main predators of seals are killer whales, polar bears, leopard seals, large sharks, and human beings. Unbelievable as it sounds, but the dangerous turtles that we are talking about are no jokes. Although elephant seal as having high size but as bear known for their aggressive and predative behaviour may kill elephant seal. During reproduction, these beaches are called rookeries. 3. And if people get too close to females, they can attack them and bite them. They dive to an average of 1,300 to 2,100 feet and sometimes to 3,000 feet, nearly twice as deep as any other seal species. Are elephant seals dangerous? All of them are not afraid to attack humans if we are not careful enough. But they don't store and carry it as a gas in their lungs. Some seals show threatening and dominant behavior toward each other, a dangerous situation for humans and their pets who are in their paths. There are certain types of dangerous turtles that you have to keep great distance from. Elephant seals spend an unusual amount of time in the ocean, up to 80% of their lives. Furthermore, elephant seals are incredible divers as well, with an ability to … Now the aggressor in the Russian River is an elephant seal who will stand up to other animals and even humans. Northern elephant seals are found in the North Pacific, from Baja California to the Aleutian Islands. Northern elephant seals (M. angustirostris) are found in coastal waters around Canada and Mexico, while southern elephant seals (M. leonina) are found off the coast of New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina. They have huge incisors, and even a warning nip can break a human bone." Elephant seals, leopard seals and sea lions are the most dangerous especially during breeding season. Many seals attack to protect themselves or their young because they feel threatened even if the humans around them have no intention of harming them. Besides, with 80,000 elephant seals, 75,000 California sea lions and 4,000 harbor seals in the waters off Southern California, the several hundred animals rescued by … So it's best for both to have these beaches protected. Danger Beneath the Water: 10 Facts About Leopard Seals. Leopard seals are the third largest seal in the world. Many of the snake-catching spiders have venom that can also be dangerous to humans. The elephant seal (genus Mirounga) is the world's largest seal.There are two species of elephant seals, named according to the hemisphere in which they are found. Can elephant seals kill humans? To maintain oxygen levels, southern elephant seals store oxygen in … Though they are known for their aggressive behavior, they only very rarely aim that aggression towards humans. A male’s most conspicuous feature is, of course, … The death of a British marine biologist in Antarctica last month is thought to be the first human fatality caused by a leopard seal … If you ever see an elephant seal, especially if it’s on land, it’s best to remain far away from it so it doesn’t consider you a threat. They dive to an average of 1,300 to 2,100 feet and sometimes to 3,000 feet, nearly twice as deep as any other seal species. (GA image) Having one of the most spectacularly visual (to humans) reproductive habits of all the marine mammals, the elephant seal reproduces during winter. They are exceptionally solitary animals. Only 2 – 3 % of male Elephant seals actually breed. Is Seal dangerous? Leopard seals live in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters of the Southern Hemisphere. "Bottom line is, he's very dangerous," said … They dive to an average of 1,300 to 2,100 feet and sometimes to 3,000 feet, nearly twice as deep as any other seal species. "You wouldn't want to get bitten by one. Like most Antarctic species, the remote nature of the leopard seal's home range keeps human interactions to a minimum. 1. They are among the most potentially dangerous animals in the world. The pressure, 90 times greater than at the surface, would kill humans . Adult males are 14 to 16 feet (4 to 5 m) in length and 4,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,400 to 2,300 kg) in weight. They are usually underwater, diving to depths of about 1,000 to 2,500 feet for 20 to 30 minute intervals with only short breaks at the surface. Elephant seal rookery. Much more agile in their ocean environment, an elephant seal moves on land with considerable effort, by using its front flippers and belly. Southern elephants are the largest of all seals…