Coastal Care Junior
August 2, 2024
For Seals, Big Hearts Mean Big Dives – Hakai Institute
Excerpt:
An enlarged aorta enables seals to dive for longer durations.
How long can you hold your breath? Two minutes is tough for most people, but for pinnipeds—including seals and sea lions—two minutes is a breeze. In fact, the longest recorded breath hold for a pinniped was completed by a southern elephant seal that stayed submerged for nearly two hours.
Some seals and sea lions regularly hold their breath for more than 10 minutes as they forage for food along the ocean floor, and a new study indicates that the key to their lengthy breath holds lies in their hearts…
Written by Kristina Blanchflower
Illustrations by Mercedes Minck
More in Coastal Care Junior . . .
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Long Story Shorts: What Role Does Sound Play in the Ocean? – Hakai Institute
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Ocean Wonders: Slumber in the Sea – Hakai Institute
Though we’re still not sure exactly why we and other animals snooze, we do know that sleep can look very different for creatures living underwater. Follow us down into the deep to discover how dozing in the ocean can be more bizarre than your wildest dreams…
What Causes Sea Level Rise? – NASA Space Place
People have been measuring local sea level at certain locations along the coasts for hundreds of years. And NASA has been measuring the global sea level for almost three decades. Over this time, scientists have observed that the global sea level has been rising. The ocean is about 7 to 8 inches higher now than it was a century ago. Why? Because Earth is getting warmer…
Long Story Shorts: What Are Hybrid Species? – Hakai Institute
“While tales of centaurs, minotaurs, and other mythical hybrid animals have captured the human imagination for centuries, our planet harbors its own collection of extraordinary beings that blur the lines between species. Journey with us as we explore the wonderful world of real-life hybrid animals….”
Ocean Wonders: Aging in the Abyss – Hakai Institute
“Imagine what it might be like to get old living in the deep. From creatures that exist for just a matter of days to others that never quite die, animal aging in the deep blue is as wild as the sea itself. Join us as we take a look at what it’s like to grow old in the ocean…”
What happens to the ocean if we take out all the fish? – the Conversation
“What would happen to the ocean if we took out all the fish?” – Reny, age 12