National Institute of Polar Research

Whisker-cams unravel the mystery of how seals feed in the dark

Posted on June 14, 2022 by Ben Coxworth

Using their sonar system, toothed whales are able to zero in on prey in the pitch black conditions of the deep sea. Seals lack such a system, but still catch prey in the same sunless conditions. New research now shows how their whiskers allow them to d… Continue reading Whisker-cams unravel the mystery of how seals feed in the dark→

Freshwater seals manage to make a meal of micro-shrimp

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Ben Coxworth

Not only is Siberia’s Lake Baikal the world’s largest freshwater lake, it’s also the only home of the Baikal freshwater seal. A new study indicates that the animals subsist largely on tiny crustaceans, which it was formerly thought were not worth the e… Continue reading Freshwater seals manage to make a meal of micro-shrimp→