Last Updated on September 17, 2022
If you have ever wanted to learn how to draw an elephant seal, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got the sizes and shapes of both the southern and female elephant seals right here, and we’re going to show you how to draw one too! First, we’ll draw an elephant’s head. Then, we’ll make the head’s lens shape, hands, and tail. You’re almost done!
Sizes of elephant seals
The sizes of elephant seals vary greatly depending on their gender, but both sexes are prone to sexual dimorphism. The female Southern Elephant seal is often mistaken for an adult male, while the male is up to 10 times heavier. In the picture on the right, a male and female are the same size, but the male is much heavier. A large amount of this difference can be attributed to the fact that the pups of elephant seals are larger than their female parents.
The northern elephant seal is huge, with a massive body and a trunk-like snout. It is the largest pinniped in the world. It is one of the few species to lack external ears. It swims with two flippers – the front and the hind. The front flippers are small and flexible and serve for foraging and scratching. The front flippers are similar in appearance to the hind flippers, with a large, black nail extending out from each.
A female southern elephant seal weighs about 400 to 900 kilograms (about 850 to 1,800 lb), while an adult male weighs between 4,000 and 6,500 pounds. Both sexes are large-headed animals, with massive heads and massive noses over their mouths. The males are the largest, while the females are smaller. Each species has its own distinct personality. They are often mistaken for one another because they look alike, but the differences between them are striking.
The Northern Elephant Seal has an unusually large snout. When it is inflated, this appendage resembles an elephant’s trunk. Northern elephant seals start developing this enlarged nose at sexual maturity and have fully developed proboscis by seven to nine years of age. Elephant seals belong to the Phocidae family and do not have external ear flaps. They move on their belly.
The population of southern elephant seals was estimated at around 650,000 animals in the mid-1990s. The population is decreasing, and there are currently three distinct geographic populations. The southern subpopulation is found on the islands of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. The southern subpopulation is mainly found on subantarctic islands. However, they may occasionally come ashore in Antarctica, and gather for breeding.
Southern and Northern Elephant Seals are similar in appearance. Both male and female pups are dark at birth. They have long, elegant nails and flippers. Females nurse their young for about a month. Females do not eat during the nursing process, and they store energy in blubber. These animals also tend to be aggressive toward each other and fight aggressively to establish their harems. These animals are often mistaken for juvenile and adult elephant seals.
Males of this species can reach depths of two hundred meters and can remain underwater for more than an hour. Their large eyes and sensitive vibrissae whiskers help them to search for prey in low light. They can also dig through mud and grab their prey out of the water. Their heads are typically up to a metre above the surface of the water. In addition to their size, females vary in body shape and can weigh up to 2,000 kilograms.
Sizes of female elephant seals
The sizes of female elephant seals are a matter of debate. While male elephant seals are usually larger, females do not always look the same. Despite their size differences, both sexes are highly sexually motivated. Females have been bred for size. Females are less aggressive than males, and larger males may also stay in breeding areas longer. Female elephant seals also moult in the summer.
The male northern elephant seal is massive, with the most significant sexual dimorphism. They have a long, robust body, a thick neck, large forward-facing eyes, and black-beaded vibrissae. They also have a large blackish-brown nail. Throughout their lives, elephant seals spend most of their time in the water. A study of the male seal revealed that males are much less aggressive during mating season.
Female elephant seals spend 80 percent of their time diving. This means that they barely sleep. Because they live off the land, they gain weight while they are at sea. Females gain approximately 100 kilograms their first two months in the sea. Their pups are dependent on their mother to nurse and develop, so the female is a good source of protein for the young. The male seal also ignores the presence of her pups.
Both males and female elephant seals shed their fur annually. This thick fur protects the infants from cold air and is typically grey or brown in color. They do not have external ears, and their skin is typically thick, leathery, and scarred. Their vascular system is highly adapted to cold climates, with tiny veins around arteries and heat-catching veins in the hind legs. The females are the smallest of all seals, and the males are larger than the females.
Unlike other mammals, elephant seals spend most of their time in the transition zone, which is 200-1000 meters below the surface. They spend 80% of their time in this transition zone, scouring the ocean floor for small fish. They hold their breath for over an hour during each dive, and during the rest of the day, they nurse their pups until they are able to fend for themselves. If they can’t find prey, they are most likely to get away without killing each other.
As a general rule, female elephant seals are smaller than males. The reason for this is that females spend less time at the surface. They spend most of their time in the water, while males spend most of their time on the surface. In fact, they are three times slower at the surface than females. In order to survive in the twilight zone, they would have to spend four times longer searching for food.
In addition to their size, elephant seals are very sexually dimorphic. Male elephant seals can be ten times heavier than their female counterparts, and they often mistake the two for juveniles. Because of this, female elephant seals are often mistaken for adult and juvenile males. Elephant seals are called elephants due to their size and inflated snouts, which serve as intimidating weapons against rivals.
Sizes of southern elephant seals
The southern elephant seal is the largest pinniped, reaching lengths of over four metres from head to tail and weighing over four thousand kilograms. Adult males typically display intensive scarring on their necks and carry a prominent erectile proboscis that adds resonance to their vocal challenges. Females, on the other hand, are much smaller and only weigh about 10% of males. These smaller seals also lack the distinctive proboscis and intensive scarring.
The population size of southern elephant seals has decreased due to environmental changes in the southern ocean and a decrease in prey. Although they share many foraging habitats, their populations are not stable, and their size tends to vary between subpopulations. Population trends may be unpredictable, but recent modeling of the southern elephant seal at Macquarie Island suggests a low probability of extinction. This study used a long-term demographic trend and a projected stochastic Leslie-matrix model to predict the future population.
The South Australian population of southern elephant seals is decreasing, but it is increasingly sighted on the mainland. In the period between 1977 and 1989, only 25 non-breeding seals were observed on the mainland. However, data from the Nature Conservation Branch and DPIWE shows a marked increase in elephant seal sightings from 1990 to 2002. While the numbers are still low, the recent increase in sightings is a positive sign.
The southern elephant seal’s population has declined significantly in recent decades. Research has shown that the species feeds in sub-Antarctic waters and along the coasts of Australia. It spends a significant amount of time on Antarctica, and its main foraging areas are far from concentrations of commercial fishing activity. As a result, populations are stable in areas with intensive fishing activity. However, in areas with less commercial fishing, they have decreased.
The population’s welfare has become an increasingly high priority for environmentalists. While southern elephant seal pups and adults were branded during the 1990s, this practice was prohibited in 2000 because of serious concerns about animal welfare. The practice has been stopped since the Commonwealth Environment Minister cited concerns over animal welfare. The study’s findings highlight the need for further study. A major concern of the study is that this practice has an impact on the females.
IUU fishing is a major problem in the Antarctic Fishery. This practice causes considerable losses of gear and hooks. In one study, a southern elephant seal was caught in a longline and hooked. It died after interacting with the vessel. The researchers concluded that there was a possibility for interaction with sub-antarctic fur seals and IUU fishermen. They recommend caution when fishing in this area.
About The Author
Mindy Vu is a part time shoe model and professional mum. She loves to cook and has been proclaimed the best cook in the world by her friends and family. She adores her pet dog Twinkie, and is happily married to her books.