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Thermal Physics: Elephant Seals Essay

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A vertebrate is any animal with a backbone. An example of vertebrates are Elephant Seals and Minks. Elephant Seals are amphibious mammals living in the Antarctic waters. They can adapt to both land and sea. On contrary, Minks are also semiaquatic mammals that can be found in North America, mainly in the forested areas that are near streams, rivers, or ponds. Although the Elephant Seals and the Minks are both mammals, both animals will have differences and similarities with how their body functions. This means both animals would have different or similar locomotion, feeding and digestive systems, and respiratory and circulatory systems. Locomotion allows an organism to search for food, escape from predators and to find a mate for …show more content…

The Elephant Seals and Minks both have a different diet, but a similar digestive system as they are both mammals. First of all, an Elephant Seal’s diet consists of fish, squid and other marine animals. Elephant Seals are not effective in breaking down their food mechanically, so they have a tendency to swallow their food whole. When the food gets swallowed, it travels down the oesophagus into the stomach where it will be broken down. It then travels to the small intestine where all the nutrients from the food will be absorbed. Elephant Seals can digest their food as fast as six hours because their small intestine is so large. At least twenty-five times larger than the Elephant Seal. Excessive amounts of water will be absorbed in the large intestine. In contrast, the diet of a Mink is made up of snakes, frogs, fish, rodents and other small animals. The Minks kills its prey by using its sharp teeth and then grinding it with its molars. This breaks down the food mechanically and then make its way down the oesophagus to reach the stomach. While the food is in the stomach, the stomach acids will break down the food even further. It will then make its way to the small intestine to absorb the nutrients from the food. Excessive water from the consumed food will travel to the large intestine where it will be absorbed. The respiratory and circulatory system both work together to supply oxygen to body tissues and to remove carbon dioxide. The

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