Seals Take Risks for More Kinds of Fish
Key Vocabulary
an animal that lives in the sea and can rest on ice or land
The seal swims under the ice.
a large white bear that lives in the Arctic
A polar bear can hunt seals.
the chance that something bad may happen
The seal takes a risk to find food.
an animal that lives in water
The seal looks for fish.
not in danger
The seal moves to a safer place.
Article
Ringed seals live in the Arctic. Polar bears hunt them. Seals must find food and stay safe.
Canadian researchers studied seals and polar bears in Hudson Bay. They tracked 26 seals and 39 bears. [1]
The seals usually moved away from places with many bears. These places were dangerous.
But food changed their choices. When there were many kinds of fish, seals stayed underwater longer in some dangerous areas. [1]
The researchers think different fish can give seals more chances to find food. Sea ice and food are also changing as the climate changes. [2][3]
Animals do not always choose the safest place. Sometimes good food is worth more risk.
Discussion Questions
- What animals live in cold places?
- What animals hunt for food in your country?
- Why do animals sometimes go to dangerous places?
- What happens when animals cannot find enough food?
- What Arctic animal would you like to learn more about?
References
- University of British Columbia, "Seals risk death by polar bear for a varied meal, UBC study finds." Source
- Florko et al., "Predator and prey landscapes interact with prey diversity," Ecology Letters. Source
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, "Researching the impacts of climate change on marine mammals." Source
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