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Although the crabeater seal is sympatric with the other Antarctic seal species (Weddell, Ross and leopard seals), the specialization on krill minimizes interspecific food competition. Among krill-feeding whales , only blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus ) and minke whales ( B. acutorostrata ) extend their range as far south as the pack ice ...
Research shows that on average, the aerobic dive limit for juvenile seals is around 7 minutes, which means that during the winter months juvenile leopard seals do not eat krill, which is a major part of older seals' diets, since krill is found deeper during this time. [33] This might occasionally lead to co-operative hunting.
The extremely high abundance of crabeater seals in particular, with possibly over 30,000,000 individuals, is a testament to the high productivity of the Southern Ocean, especially with respect to krill. [6] High numbers of seals may also be the indirect result of the wide-scale extermination of large baleen whales in the Antarctic due to ...
Krill are also used for human consumption in several countries. They are known as okiami (オキアミ) in Japan and as camarones in Spain and the Philippines. In the Philippines, they are also called alamang and are used to make a salty paste called bagoong. Krill are also the main prey of baleen whales, including the blue whale.
Examples are swordfish, seals and gannets. Apex predators, such as orcas, which can consume seals, and shortfin mako sharks, which can consume swordfish, make up a fifth trophic level. Baleen whales can consume zooplankton and krill directly, leading to a food chain with only three or four trophic levels.
Antarctic krill is the keystone species of the Antarctic ecosystem beyond the coastal shelf, [22] and provides an important food source for whales, seals (such as leopard seals, fur seals, and crabeater seals), squid, icefish, penguins, albatrosses and many other species of birds. Crabeater seals have even developed special teeth as an ...
Related: 'Neil the Seal' Is Causing Chaos and Total Delight in Tasmania "The seal and the sausage sounds like a lovely story," agreed commenter @mademoisellecollecteur. It should be a children's book!
Spotted seals dive to depths up to 300 m (980 ft) while feeding on a variety of ocean prey. Juveniles eat primarily krill and small crustaceans while adults eat a variety of fish including herring, arctic cod, pollock, and capelin. [4] They do not seem to vocalize a lot, although not much is known about their vocalizations.