L+weddellii

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Chordata Class- Mammalia Order- Carnivora Family- Phocidae Genus- Leptonnychotes Species- Weddellii
 * //Leptonychotes Weddellii - (Weddell Seal)

Assesment Info: Year assessed- 2008 Classified- Least Concern because of not many threats, large population, and widespread habitat.

__Habitat__: Temp- (-2 degrees C) Salinity- 34.0 ppt Pressure- Dives as far down as 600m, 60 atm

Scientist have been researching the Weddelli Seal and have yet to discover if they are migratory animals or if they are just spread out along the Anarctic coast. Due to the lack of factual evidence, a popular area for breeding is in the Atlantic near the Anartic coast with a location of:// Latitude = -64.0145, Longitude = -18.9844.

The currents in the south Atlantic that are in the Weddell seal's habitat come off of the coast of Brazil, carry over to the South Atlantic current, and also the Anartic Subpolar current. Geologic Processes: ~Volcanoes (evidence show there were at some point, but more investigation is in process currently) ~Earthquakes (occur due to the fact that they live near and around the Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge) ~Subduction ~Sea Floor Spreading Average Tidal Range- 1.09m

The Weddell Seal is able to swim in multiple depths of the sea. They surface and hunt on land aswell, this makes them a good predator.

Population: From 500,000- 1,000,000 +. (The reason for this large range is due to how difficult and expensive this research is) Population Trend: Unknown

Appearance: (picture:** [|**http://www.rosssea.info/pix/big/baby-mum-weddell-seals.jpg**]**)** **As a seal pup they are covered in a soft white/gray fur. As they grow they begin to lose their "fuzz" and their grey/black blubbery skin shows through. They have large eyes which are excellent to see in the deeper darker water with, a snout and sharp tearing teeth for predatory purposes. The wedell seal has two flippers in the front of them and one strong tail that somewhat separates into two parts at the base. They are very muscular, strong, and agile creatures that are covered in a fatty blubber for warmth. Males can grow up to 2.9 m and females to 3.3m. On average they can weigh up to 400-450kg

Reproduction: Females mature fully when reaching 3-6 years Males mature fully when reaching 7-8 years Gestation lasts for 11 months One pup is born every pregnancy (with very few exceptions) Pups are born between September and November, and are cared for/nursed for 7-8 weeks

Facts: -Sometimes their teeth don't stay sharp forever because they grind them against ice to keep their air holes in check. -At times the excessive granding dulls their teeth so badly they fall out and hunting then becomes an issue. -**Adult female weight fluctuates dramatically during the year with significant weight loss occurring after birth during lactation. -Longevity is approximately 25 years -Weddell seals are prodigious divers, reaching over 600 m depth, and can undertake dives for approx. 82 minutes -They are not very social out of the water -Effects from vessel noise, and other types of human contact may have influenced seal behavior, but nothing is certain at this point. -The melting of sea ice may negatively effect the seal population -Have extremely loud underwater calls that can be heard through the ice -Are such stealth hunters they can sneak up on prey that is 3 cm away

They are preyed on by mostly leopard seals and killer whales.
 * Usually dines on Notothenid fishes mostly, but squid and other various invertebrates are also part of their diet.

The Wedell seal is not used in medical advances or involved with fisheries. There is some tourism that occurs while people site sea on ships, but generally speaking most people see these creatures in a zoo/aquarium, or in passing.

Threats and Reason's for Endangerment: Seal's are no longer being hunted as a source for food as they were during the earlier years of antartic exploration, therefore they are no longer in a state of substantial danger. Global warming's effects on the Weddell seal is unknown, though it's possible the melting of sea ice could cause a decrease in the seal population. Pollution generally effects all animals and other forms of wildlife therefore, Weddell seals are also at risk for ingesting harmful pollution causing (in serious cases) death. Fishing doesn't effect the seals much more then thinning their food sources.

Conservation Efforts: Weddell seals are protected by the Antartic Treaty, and the Convention for the Conservation of Artic Seals** Gelatt, T. & Southwell, C. 2008. //Leptonychotes weddellii//. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.1. <[|www.iucnredlist.org]>. Downloaded on **09 June 2009**.

Solutions: 1) Make an effort to recycle and stop direct pollution 2) Stop drilling for oil because it directly effects the seal's and their habitat 3) Learn more about the way the seals live so that we can further more protect them

Scavenger hunt: 1) What "family" are Wedell seal's classified as? 2) What months are baby seals born in? 3) Approxiametly how many years do the seals live for?

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