The Crabeater Seal
The Crabeater Seal is an aquatic and land creature which can be found in Antarctica. The lobodon Carcinophagus (Crabeater Seal) belongs to the seal family. It got its name from some British explorers who spotted some trails of red krill and they thought that it was red crab shells. However, the Crabeater Seal doesn’t eat crab at all!
The Crabeater Seal is a magnificent creature. It is both heavy and long. It can grow up to 2 metres in length and be as heavy as 220kg! They have thin and slender bodies which allow them to swim quickly. In the coldest season (the dark half of the year), The Crabeater Seal’s fur is a dark brown colour but when the sun rises again, the colour of the fur coat is blonde white. The Crabeater Seal has four flippers which help it to move.
The Crabeater Seal uses its strong hand- like flippers to move.There are two ways to travel. Push forward while sliding or to jet through freezing water while stroking its fins with great effort.It seems that the Crabeater Seal is faster on land than in water! It can reach speeds of 25 kilometres per hour.To stop, the Crabeater gently elevates his hind flippers.
The Crabeater Seal lives in Antarctica. The species thrives underneath the thick ice sheet of the pack ice area. It mainly lives underwater but comes up to breathe every so often. This is performed by chewing holes in the ice allowing them to breathe. This technique is also used to evade predators.
The female goes on a hunger strike for one whole month before her young is released. It feeds the baby seal on thick oil milk which gives it nutrients. A juvenile Crabeater seal can grow from just 20 kg to 110kg in just four weeks after birth.
The Crabeater Seal is an amazing animal which must be protected as it supports the delicate Antarctic food chain. With its beautiful and strong flippers, covered in a colour changing fur coat, the Crabeater seal is a creature of great importance.