first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. At 12,248 square miles, it is one of the largest lakes in the world. Earth Island Institute. It is also the oldest lake in the world, dating back at least 25 million years. [Article in Russian] Galantsev VP, Zharskaia VD, Luk'ianova EL, Petrov EA, Tolchenova GA. At present, Baikal seals show lower levels of contaminants than seals of Europe and North America, but higher than those in the Arctic. [1], The most serious future threat to the survival of the seal may be global warming, which has the potential to seriously affect a closed cold-water ecosystem such as that of Lake Baikal. In general, a higher concentration of Baikal seals is found in the northern parts of the lake, because the longer winter keeps the ice frozen longer, which is preferable for pupping. Pups are born with a white woolly coat that is moulted after 6-8 weeks, still in the lair, to be replaced by a silvery grey coat. This is aided by its torpedo-shaped, flexible body, and powerful hindquarters which move side-to-side to propel the seal through the water. [5] Very rarely, triplets or quadruplets have been recorded. Adults typically grow to 1.1–1.4 m (3 ft 7 in–4 ft 7 in) in length[1] with a body mass from 63 to 70 kg (139 to 154 lb). Arctic rivers to spawn, came to Baikal and favoured these conditions for breeding and development. Growth continues until they are 20 to 25 years old. The Baikal seal lives only in the waters of Lake Baikal. - Anatomy, Family & Diet, Signs, Symptoms & Causes of Bloat in Dogs, Biological and Biomedical [3] The maximum reported size is 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) in length and 130 kg (290 lb) in weight. Can you imagine if you lived in a place where you were trapped by three feet of ice every winter? Baikal seals, as indicated by their name, are endemic to Lake Baikal in Siberia, which means they are found nowhere else in the world. [3] The males and females are not strongly sexually dimorphic. Addition… Seals arrived in Baikal two million years ago, from the Arctic Ocean. "Foraging tactics of Baikal seals differbetween day and night", "Hydroacoustic measurement of the density of the Baikal macrozooplankter Macrohectopus branickii". courses that prepare you to earn They keep these holes open by scraping them with their strong claws. Select a subject to preview related courses: The Baikal seal is quite an interesting animal. As the ice begins to thaw, seals congregate around larger holes to hunt. Admittedly, the lake is enormous. Get access risk-free for 30 days, [1], The only known natural predator of adult Baikal seals is the brown bear, but this is not believed to occur frequently. Seals range in size from the 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and 45 kg (99 lb) Baikal seal to the 5 m (16 ft) and 3,200 kg (7,100 lb) southern elephant seal male, which is also the largest member of the order Carnivora. In the winter, the seals are widely spread throughout the lake and mostly live alone. Probably the rout of infiltration of this fish drove on Yenisei and Angara rivers. This fur is quickly shed and exchanged for a darker coat, much like that of adults. The Ribbon seal is an ice seal, one of nine species. How Do I Use Study.com's Assign Lesson Feature? © copyright 2003-2021 Study.com. All rights reserved. While moulting, they refrain from eating and enter a lethargic state, during which time they often die of overheating, males especially, from lying on the ice too long in the sun. The brown bear is the only known animal in the area that hunts these seals. just create an account. In 5 of these individuals, the gas exchange was assessed in satiated and hungry animals. [4] There are significant annual variations in the weight, with lowest weight in the spring and highest weight, about 38–42% more, in the fall. and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you. credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. The areas of the lake in which the Baikal seals reside change depending on the season, as well as other environmental factors. You can test out of the [1] Baikal seals can dive up to depths of 400 m (1,300 ft)[4] and more than 40 minutes. 2002. [6] It is something of a mystery how Baikal seals came to live there in the first place. Either way, maintaining a breathing hole in three-foot ice is no small task. - Facts, Uses, Properties & Formula, Subsistence Strategies: Definition & Types, Pseudomonas Fluorescens Uses in Agriculture, Quiz & Worksheet - Kinds of Plant Adaptations, Quiz & Worksheet - Lytic Cycle of a Virus, Overview of Earth's Spheres & Internal Structure, California Sexual Harassment Refresher Course: Supervisors, California Sexual Harassment Refresher Course: Employees. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baikal_seal&oldid=997196681, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 12:24. For one thing, scientists actually have no idea how these seals came to live in this lake, or how exactly they are related to other seals! These have diversified into more than 340 indigenous species. Their only natural predator is the brown bear, though they are hunted by humans as well. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, Eurasian Otter: Habitat, Diet, Lifespan & Facts, Hairy-Nosed Otter: Habitat, Breeding & Population, Spotted-Necked Otter: Habitat, Diet, Lifespan & Facts, Smooth-Coated Otter: Habitat, Adaptations & Facts, North American River Otter: Habitat, Diet, Predators & Facts, Southern River Otter: Habitat, Population & Adaptations, African Clawless Otter: Habitat, Population & Lifespan, Asian Small-Clawed Otter: Habitat, Breeding & Adaptations, European Mink: Facts, Habitat, Adaptations & Population, What is a Mongoose? Pregnant females are the only Baikal seals to haul out during the winter. In fact, in summer the majority of the seals gather in one section of the lake, where there are rocks and beaches so the seals can come out of the water. In 2000, Greenpeace performed its own count and found an estimated 55,000 to 65,000 seals. Create an account to start this course today. credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. Baikal seals provide an intriguing example of parallel evolution, with comb-like teeth adapted for filtering food How the seal population of Lake Baikal … They deal with it by spending the winter keeping their breathing holes open in the ice, so the holes don't seal up. Female Baikal seals reach sexual maturity at 3–6 years of age, whereas males achieve it around 4–7 years. [4] During the autumn the Baikal seal eats 50-67% fewer golomyankas than in the winter and spring, but significantly more Cottocomephorus, Kessler's sculpins and stone sculpins. The males tend to stay in the water, under the ice, all winter. The Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) is remarkable for being the only pinniped that is restricted solely to a freshwater habitat. | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} After the pups are weaned, the mother introduces them to solid food, bringing amphipods, fish, and other food into the den. The Baikal seal, Lake Baikal seal or nerpa (Pusa sibirica), is a species of earless seal endemic to Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia. The adult coat has a dark background encircled with four light-colored stripes. When they are threatened, Baikal seals will dive. [5], Baikal seals have one unusual foraging habit. [2], The most recent population estimates are 80,000 to 100,000 animals, roughly equaling the expected carrying capacity of the lake. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. It is something of a mystery how Baikal seals came to live there in the first place. The Baikal seal has been blamed for drops in omul numbers, but this is not the case. In spring, when the ice melts and the dens usually collapse, the pup is left to fend for itself. Like other pinniped species, it may look rather ungainly on land, but in water it transforms into a remarkably graceful and agile animal. [5] The quota in 1999, 6,000, was lowered in 2000 to 3,500, which was still nearly 5% of the population if the Greenpeace count is correct. Pups are born in February and March, which means they are weaned (they move from milk to solid food) about the time the ice is melting, and food is more abundant. With over 29,000 video lessons and study tools, you're guaranteed to find what you need Baikal seals mate in the water towards the end of the pupping season. Create your account. [1] Most dives last less than 10 minutes and generally only 2–4 minutes. There is little variation in human diet over a span of 4000 years despite variation in mortuary practices. The Siberian musk deer is a species of small, stocky musk deer living in the forested mountainous regions of Northeast Asia. According to a 2004 paper on the foraging tactics of baikal seals,[10] during the summer nights these seals are known to have different foraging strategies during night time and during day time. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The first to come are juveniles, then adult males, and, finally, new pups and their mothers. Baikal seals eat more than half of the annual produced biomass of golomyanka, some 64,000 tons. One stripe goes around the neck and around the mid-rear section of the seal's body, the others start ventrally and go around the fore flippers on each side. It is estimated that omul only comprises about 0.1% of its diet. Since there's no light at night, they have to hunt with tactile cues. So too did some much smaller marine creatures, known as amphipods. [5] In the winter and spring, it is estimated that more than 90% of its food consists of golomyankas. During the winter months while the lake is frozen, seals maintain breathing holes. [3], The Baikal seal lives only in the waters of Lake Baikal. The Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica) of Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, is the smallest at 1.1–1.4 metres (3.6–4.6 feet) long and 50–130 kg (110–290 pounds), but some female fur seals weigh less. Then mark the female 's den with a combination of delayed implantation and a nine-month gestation period of months..., steely-grey coat on their backs and fur with a combination of delayed implantation and a nine-month gestation of!: study Guide & review Page to learn more 1,000 rubles at market is left to for. Much longer animals and their body mass stable isotopes not strongly sexually dimorphic stocky musk deer living in water! The season, as well as some adaptations and interesting facts Arctic rivers to spawn, came be! At 6-7 years. 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