Harp Seal Research Paper

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

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

They weigh about 300 pounds and males quiet larger than females, They come in various colors example, gray, white, yellow and many more. Harbor seals eat fish, and their blubber helps to keep them warm. Their skin is made for them to swim vividly in the water.

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).

Bradshaw, C.J.A., Hindell, M.A, Best, N.J., Phillips, K.L., Wilson, G. and Nichols, PD. (2003). You are what you eat: describing the foraging ecology of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) using blubber fatty acids. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. Biol. Sci. DOI 10.1098/rspb.2003.2371.

The negative human impacts on harbor seals are devastating, and there are yet to be any major positive impacts. In the 1900s, fur traders would hunt harbor seal pups that were less than four weeks old for their fine coats, which were highly valued. This led to a decrease in the harbor seal population. Harbor seals were also hunted by salmon fishermen who saw the seals as competitors for the fish. After a while many harbor seal populations had to abandon traditional haul-out areas. This was sad for the seals, because the main diet of a harbor seal is fish.

The traits for a bottlenose dolphin and a harp seal are similar and different,but mostly different.The are both grey.Even though they both have the same color a bottlenose dolphin weighs much more than a harp seal.A bottlenose dolphin’s length is eight and a half feet and a harp seals’s is five and two feet to six and two feet.Bottlenose dolphins’ life expectancy is up to twenty to fifty years,which is much greater than a harp seals’ life expectancy,which is up to thirty five years.

The different types of seals are the Leopard Seal, Harp Seal, Gray Seal, Northern Elephant Seal, Southern Elephant Seal, Weddell Seal, Hawaiian Monk Seal, and the Mediterranean Monk Seal. Seals have quite a spread when it comes to their habitats. They can be found in the cold regions of the Antarctic, to warm, extremely sunny places. They are able to survive in the icy conditions due to the layers of blubber on their bodies that keeps them warm. The seals that live in colder regions are heavier in size. Seals are breathtaking, more people should educate themselves on seals so the seals can be

The leopard seal is one of six species of seals in the Antarctic. They can get up to 1230 pounds and fall anywhere between eight and twelve feet long. These large muscular animals have dark grey backs, and spots scattered among their light grey stomachs and throat. They get their name, “leopard seal”, from their impressively long sharp carnivore like teeth. Although their front teeth are sharp, their back teeth lock together to help them catch krill. Their appetite mainly consists of penguins, fish, squid, and krill, though they will prey on other seals. Although the leopard seal is considered the most ferocious seal in Antarctica, they will play with the penguins in a friendly manner. When they are not playing with the penguin they will grab

Seals hunt for their food in the sea. Their whiskers aid them in detecting the route of fish. Because their stomach prints are found at the bottom of the sea, seals are considered bottom feeders. Strategically, they use their tusks to dig immense furrows in search for clams. Seals feast on fish, shrimp, mussels, and clams. In the Antarctic, the elephant seal is noted for fiercely hunting down sharks. Furthermore, seals utilize their tusks for tilling the seafloor while scavenging for clams. The sea is a seals source of

The Caribbean monk seal is a type of seal that went extinct and was last reported to be seen in the year of 1952, but they were endangered since 1700s. In this essay, I will go over about different reasons and causes for this animal to go extinct; including two reversed hypotheses. You will also learn about their previous habitats and ecosystems. Over all, humans made a great impact in the extinction of the Caribbean monk seals.

Baby harp seals are disappearing in population because of the climate change going on near their habitat. These pups are constantly drowning and being crushed by melting ice every day. If this keeps occurring, they will quickly stop breeding and eventually become extinct. Although they are not endangered, baby harp seals are passing by the minute. If you think this is unacceptable and want them to be saved: choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases, replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, use a clothesline instead of a dryer when possible, cover your pots when cooking, and speak up to the public about how others can do these things too!

The most important thing to a harbor seals survival is its habitat, which determines shelter, adaptations, evolution, and the type of food available. Harbor seals live in shallow waters of coastal areas, sandy beaches, rocky islands, mudflats, and bays.

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.