testmeat photoblog

elephant seals don't have the cute face of the weddell seal, nor can they move around on land as easily as the fur seal, but they are endlessly fascinating. they spend 80% of their lives in the ocean, can hold their breath for up to two hours and the deepest recorded dive is in excess of 2000m. that's deeper than any other air breathing animal, with the exception of whales. and while whales use sonar to 'see' in the dark, elephant seals use their highly sensitve whiskers to scan the depths. when they surface for air they just need a couple of minutes before they descend once again. as all of their food is in the water, when they come onto land for breeding they will fast for weeks and lose up to a third of their body weight. i find it all so remarkable for an animal that breathes the same air as you and i.

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