Seal Scientific Research
The area of seal research has gone on for decades, observing them in their natural environment. Through such research we have been able to categorize them based on their characteristics. We have been able to identify where they reside and what their habits are. All seals are mammals and they have the same patterns of behavior for breeding and for feeding.
Through seal research it has been proven that they are very intelligent animals. They may be found in conservation parks or circuses for entertainment due to the fact that they can understand simple commands. They also follow such information very well so they can be deemed as reliable. Yet their intelligence goes well beyond just being able to perform in such a way.
Seals are very sensitive animals too which is part of why they take such good care of their pups. Research has been able to identify factors that allow them bond quickly including the sounds they make and the smell of their pups. They have amazing eyesight and hearing. They also use their whiskers to help them pick up vibrations of others present in the water.
The communication for seals is more complex so research doesn’t tell us all we want to know about it. They live in very large groups and stay extremely close to each other for protection. The meaning of the sounds that they make aren’t fully understood though so more research needs to be done. It is known that their communication increases during the mating season though.
Many experts agree that seals are in danger due to the hunting and other threats to their natural environments. However, there are still decent numbers of them out there that make it hard to get effective conservation and protection in place. Even so, many animal rights groups have taken up the cause of protecting seals. These private organizations have plenty of followers as well.
Through seal research we have learned that they are able to live in the wild for approximately 20 to 45 years as long as their natural habitat isn’t threatened. They can live well in captivity as well. However, both in the wild and in captivity they are susceptible to diseases and viruses that can kill large numbers of them very quickly as these ailments spread.
There are many different types of seal research going on right now. Some of the focus on the behaviors of seals while others cover their habitat, the effects of the environment on them, their overall status, and how they adapt. All of these types of research are very important as they allow us to have inside information to the world of seals. Since these animals spend so much time in the water, special tools are used to identify what they do while in the water.
It can be very expensive to cover the ongoing costs of seal research. The funding is generally through grants and donations. You can be certain that new information about seals will emerge through such types of research. When you add in the advances we have made with technology over the past couple of decades, there is no reason that we can’t continue moving forward.
There are plenty of quarterly reports regarding these types of seal research. You can find them online or you can subscribe to the different newsletters for those doing the research. This is a great way for you to stay on top of their efforts as well as the results. For anyone that is an avid fan of seals, this is a great source for finding the newest information on them as it becomes available.
