Ribbon Seal (Histriophoca fasciata) Ribbon seals are among the most striking and easily recognizable seals in the world. They can be identified by the distinctive light-colored bands or “ribbons” that encircle their neck, each foreflipper, and hips. Adult males are the most striking, having a dark brown to black pelage with white ribbons, while adult females range from silvery-grey to dark brown with paler ribbons. Juvenile ribbon seals are typically a light brown dorsally, light grey ventrally, and have indistinct ribbons that usually develop after two to three years as the seals mature. Ribbon seals molt their coat of hair annually, beginning in May and finishing in July, with younger individuals molting earliest. Ribbon seal pups …show more content…
The pups double their weight during nursing and are weaned after three to four weeks. Mating likely occurs shortly after weaning, though little is known of the breeding system. Ribbon seals are known to eat a variety of fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans; however, information about their feeding habits is limited and mostly restricted to the spring when ribbon seals are typically feeding less, as evidenced by their decreased weight and blubber thickness. Although there is little direct evidence of predation, potential predators of ribbon seals include polar bears, killer whales, sharks, and walruses. Ribbon seals are relatively unwary while hauled out and can be approached closely by boat. This behavior suggests that ribbon seals probably do not experience much predation by polar bears, but may also make them especially susceptible to hunting by man. Siberia and Alaska Natives have hunted the ribbon seal for many generations for subsistence, and the current annual take by Alaska Natives is estimated to be less than 200 seals per year. Commercial harvests of ribbon seals were conducted by Soviet sealers in the 1960s to 1980s, during which time the Bering Sea population is thought to have declined from 80,000 or 90,000 animals to 60,000. Surveys during the early and mid-1970s put the worldwide population estimate of ribbon seals between 200,000 and 240,000, with estimates ranging between 60,000 and 100,000 in the Bering Sea (Shustov, 1972; Burns, 1981). A more recent and reliable abundance estimate is not currently
A Review of “The Devil and Deep Blue Sea” by Linda Pannozzo Introduction In her book The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: An Investigation into the Scapegoating of Canada’s Grey Seal, Linda Pannozzo accomplishes few important things: she makes a compelling argument for the senseless killing of grey seal; she provides an analytic framework for the reasons of the decline of cod fish; and she provides a wealth of information on the politic behind scapegoating of Canada’s grey seal. Pannozzo presents The Devil and Deep Blue Sea in a clear and unbiased matter, but its presentation is by no mean elementary. Pannozzo’s book is meticulously researched, thus providing us with both quantitative and statistical account surrounding seal ways of life, their diet, history and other necessary aspects of marine life ecosystem. Book Summary
Inuit communities are exempted from seal product restrictions and are allowed to hunt up to 400,000 seals ( a quota set by the government)
Every year in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Northern Atlantic Ocean, three Canadian seal populations are opened for commercial hunting. Since the 1750s, hooded seals, grey seals and iconic harp seals have been hunted for their valuable pelts and omega-3 rich oil. After being nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800s and a period of extensive anti-hunt activism in the 1960s and 70s, the hunt has become strictly regulated. Now, activism has forced the Atlantic Seal Hunt to support and maintain standards of sustainable resource harvesting and humaneness, and this hunt now has the potential to be a role model in these areas for other similar hunts worldwide.
The Hawaiian Monk seal is a greatly endangered marine species. These adorable creatures are being used for human goods such as their skin, meat, and oils. Not only this, but predators like Sharks and poisoning have also killed off the breed. Today in 2017, only about 1,100-1,400 are fighting for their lives. Since these beautiful creature, live on a touristy island, it is common for humans to be one of the biggest threats. Humans can throw litter and plastic into the water just to watch these animals suffer. Their own kind have also been a rising cause of these animals decreasing population by the males killing the females in group attacking called “mobbing”. These creatures are supposed to live anywhere
The population decline in monk seals is due to several different factors with the biggest reason due to the low pup and juvenile survival rates (Curtice et al, 2011). At the Kure Atoll on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, 32 pups were observed in 1964 and 30 pups were observed in 1965. Of these pups born, all but one died or disappeared within 60 days after birth. This was also seen in the 1970’s at Green Island and Kure Atoll, where a mean population of 17 and 14 seals, respectively, was counted on these beaches, with a birth total of 10 showing a population decline of 70% (Gilmartin et al, 2011). The juvenile survival rate is still seen today with one in five monk seals surviving to the reproductive age, with one year old seals having the highest mortality rates (Norris et al, 2011).
They also prey on smaller fish such as skates, eels, herring, and cod. On occasion remains of larger mammals such as seals, moose, polar bears, and reindeer have been found in their stomachs. Its even speculated that these sharks ambush seals, with their ice holes being like beacons. Female Greenland sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning that they retain the developing embryo inside of their bodies to hatch instead of depositing it into the mud. While the gestation period is unknown there are usually 10 pups per litter that are about 90 centimeters
According to the Washington Post “While Dr. Kelsey stood her ground on Kevadon, infant deaths and deformities were occurring at an alarming rate in places where thalidomide had been sold. The development of seal-like flippers, a condition known as phocomelia that previously affected an estimated 1 in 4 million infants, began to crop up by the dozens in many countries.” The new discover shocked Dr.Kelsey and gave her even more reason to reject Kevadon applications. This new discovery did not keep her from searching further and she soon discovered the the drug had not been tested on any pregnant animals at any point in time. The reasons were stacking up, and the odds were not in favor the drug company. Dr. Kelsey continued her research and “by
It contains an expanse of tundra with many marshes and lagoons with rivers situated between foothills of the Brooks Range and the wide, icy waters of the Beaufort Sea. Environmentalists said that this area “is the most biologically productive part of the Arctic Refuge for wildlife and is the center if wildlife activity.” The importance of these resources is not measurable. The Arctic is home to such animals as caribou, polar bears, grizzly bears, musk oxen, whales, wolves and snow geese. This area is full of wildflowers and contains water of excellent, unpolluted quality and quantity. The Arctic Ocean costal plain is an area critical to the survival of many birds and mammals (‘Alaska Wild’).
When unchecked ambition turns into a deceitful weapon for disaster. Macbeth takes place in 11th century Scotland where a Thane, so desperate to become king, kills and manipulates even his closest companions to do so. The play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, displays healthy ambition leading towards success in fulfilling your goals, while a destructive appetite forces manipulation and scheming to achieve that goal. Macbeth presented healthy ambition until the witches intervened and caused destruction throughout the kingdom. In Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth is introduced to the witches who give him his first prophecy, “All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor.
Trim-A-Seal is a full-service exterior home improvement company. Their corporate office is located in Gary, Indiana whilst their showroom is located in Merrillville, Indiana. Trim-A-Seal was established in 1950. Trim-A-Seal specializes in siding, windows, doors, roofing, gutters, awnings, and more. Their roofing services include shingle roofing, single ply rubber roofing, weatherizing, relining, roll roofing, and gutters/downspouts/gutter helmet. Trim-A-Seal is a VSI Certified Installer. Trim-A-Seal offers a free inspection. This exterior home improvement company provides a free estimate as well. Trim-A-Seal is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm. This exterior home improvement company is a proud member of the National Association of Home Builders,
When you have asphalt pavement, you must maintain it properly to make sure that it reaches its full life expectancy. Sealcoating is a vital part of maintaining asphalt pavement; it can prolong the pavement's life as well as improve its appearance. However, you might not be aware of the key ingredients that go into a quality sealant and how they affect the results of the sealcoating job.
Sea pens are colonies of polyps( polyps: animals that have a fixed base,column like body, with mouth and tentacles.). Each polyps resembles a feathery quill. Sea pens are bilateral (bilateral: being able to divide into even halves). There is no typical weight for sea pens, but the height ranges from 2 inches to 6 feet. Sea pens have various colors. Their colors range from dark orange, yellow, and white.
The polar bear lives up in the Arctic region where global warming and climate change are melting the ice caps that the bears thrive on. They use the ice as a platform from hunting and rest. The random pocket holes in the ice, where the seals pop up at, is where the polar bear catches its prey. With this reduction of ice, “the abundance of seals, and increases the amount of energy and time needed for hunting, leaving less energy for reproduction” (Endangered Species and Habitats).
Animal Farm is an allegorical fictional novel written by George Orwell in 1945. Animal Farm is regarding to a group of animal seeking for their utopian society; however, their ideal dream have been resulted in disaster. This fictional book written by George Orwell is an allegory to the life under the control of Stalin’s totalitarianism army. The book is mainly about the farm leader Napoleon’s acts, and how it influenced the animals on the farm. The selfish traits that Napoleon possesses have ruined the dream of the animals’ ambitious society.
The article I read was about Hawaiian monk seals. Obviously the seals are found in Hawaii. The seals have six main islands in Hawaii where they populate: Kure Atoll, Midway Islands, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island, and French Frigate Shoals. The Hawaiian monk seals are named the official state mammal of Hawaii. The Hawaiian monk seals have a diet that ranges from fish, squid, octopus, and lobster. The seals hunt mainly at night and during the day they lay on sandy beaches. The mating season for the seals is mainly from December until mid- August. When pup seals are born they are mainly three feet long and weigh about thirty-five pounds. The first month or two the seals stay with their mother so they are able to nurse.