What are the natural predators of seals? An introduction to common predator species
Seals are the collective name for animals of the family Phocidae in the suborder Pinnipedia. They are mammals (viviparous), with streamlined bodies and limbs transformed into flippers, suited to swimming. They have a thick layer of subcutaneous fat that keeps them warm, provides a food reserve, and generates buoyancy. In nature, seals have many natural predators. Let us take a look below at what the natural predators of seals are!
Killer whale
The killer whale is a large toothed whale, with a body length of 8 to 10 m and a weight of about 9 tonnes. Its head is slightly rounded, with an indistinct beak, and its dorsal fin is tall and upright, curved and up to 1 m long. Its body is black and white. The two wing bones are far apart. The temporal fossa is large. The lower jaw is relatively short. In each tooth row of the upper and lower jaws there are 10 to 12 conical teeth. Its mouth is slender, its teeth are sharp, and its temperament is fierce. It is a carnivore, skilled at attacking prey, and is a natural predator of animals such as penguins and seals. It sometimes also attacks other cetaceans, and even the great white shark, so it can be called the overlord of the sea.
Polar bear
The polar bear is a true carnivore in the bear family, with 98.5% of its food being meat. It mainly preys on seals, especially ringed seals, as well as bearded seals, harp seals, and hooded seals. In addition, it also catches walruses, beluga whales, seabirds, fish, and small mammals, and sometimes it also scavenges carrion. In summer, they occasionally also eat some berries or plant rhizomes. At the end of spring and the beginning of summer, they will go to places by the sea to take seaweed washed ashore to supplement the minerals and vitamins their bodies need.
Tiger shark
The tiger shark is the collective name for all species in the only genus of the family Galeocerdonidae in the class Chondrichthyes, the genus "Galeocerdo". Its diet is very complex. On the tiger shark's menu are squid, fish, molluscs, crustaceans, seabirds, small marine mammals, animal carcasses, and garbage. It has good eyesight and sense of smell, can detect changes in the electromagnetic field of animals' hiding places, and can also sense the water flow fluctuations caused by fish schools swimming in the distance.
Great white shark
The great white shark is the largest carnivorous fish, with a body length of up to 6.5 m and a weight of 3200 kg. Its tail is crescent-shaped, and its teeth are large and serrated, triangular, with a tooth length of 10 cm. It is a large aggressive shark. But precisely because of its especially giant size, it can be considered the ultimate predator at the end of the food chain. It is distributed in the tropical and temperate zones of the major oceans. It generally lives in the open ocean, but often enters inland waters. It most likes to prey on seals and sea lions, and occasionally also eats dolphins and whale carcasses.