 Harbor seals identify potential threats by listening.
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July 15, 2003 — A study recently conducted by Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center researchers has shown harbor seals to be capable of distinguishing between killer whales that prey upon fish and mammals by their vocalizations.
The researchers recorded sounds produced by members of the two genetically distinct groups of killer whales and then reproduced them underwater near a number of harbor seals. The seals showed little reaction when they heard the vocalizations of the fish-eating group, but fled when the sounds produced by the mammal-eating group were played back.
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"They take a play-it-safe approach," Volker Deecke, who led the team that conducted the study, told a Nature reporter.
"Seals really need to key in to exactly who represents a potential threat," Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute marine biologist Stephen Insley said while commenting on the results of the study. "(This) makes a lot of sense."
"We assume a lot of intelligence from whales," said Deecke. "This shows that seals are quite bright animals too."
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Name: Harbor Seal, aka Common Seal (Phoca vitulina)
Primary Classification: Pinnipedia (Seals and Sea Lions) Location: Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic and North Pacific. Habitat: Coastal islands and beaches near temperate, subarctic and arctic waters. Diet: Mostly fish. Also crustaceans, mollusks and squid. Size: Up to 6 feet in length and 375 lbs in weight. Description: Coat ranges from pale gray to black with small rings and blotches. Thick, short hair. Rounded body, tapering at both ends. Large, set-back eyes. V-shaped nostrils. Clawed flippers. Cool Facts: They can stay underwater for up to five minutes. Mating behavior includes bubble-blowing, "necking" and playful biting. Conservation Status: Common |
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