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Baltic Ringed Seal


Baltic Ringed Seal
Photo Information
Copyright: Nel Diepstraten (NellyD) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 362 W: 0 N: 697] (2745)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-10
Categories: Nature
Camera: Canon 350 D, Canon EF 55-200 mm 1:4.5-5.6 II USM
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-02-14 0:57
Viewed: 528
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is another picture I took on my visit to the Burgers Zoo in Arnhem. I was lucky I could make this shot, because the seals there where mainly swimming under water. And at some moments I could catch a glimps of there noses and eyes. But this one came up from the water for a few seconds, I had to be quick, but I' m glad I could capture it like this.

From Wikipedia:

The Ringed Seal (Pusa hispida), also known as the Jar Seal and as Netsik or Nattiq by the Inuit, is an earless seal inhabiting the northern coasts.

Typical adult Ringed seals are 85 to 160 cm long and weigh 40 to 90 kg. The coat is a light grey spotted with black; the spots often being surrounded with lighter ring markings, from which this seal gets its vernacular name. Ring seals have a small head and small plump bodies. Their snouts are short and narrow.

Ringed seals live throughout the Arctic Ocean. They can be found in the Baltic Sea, the Bering Sea and the Hudson Bay. They prefer to rest on ice floe and will move farther north for denser ice. Some subspecies can be found in freshwater.

Female seals reach maturity at 5-7 years while males usually reach sexual maturity at around 6-8 years. The seals give birth on ice floes or shorefast ice. Seal pups are born from mid March to early April. Gestation period is approximately 9 months. Seal pups depend on maternal care for 40 days and build up a thick layer of blubber. The ringed seals are the only pinnipeds that maintain a breathing hole in the ice thus allowing it to use ice habitat that other seals can not.

Mating starts in between April and May. Males will roam the ice for a mate. When found, the male and female may spend several days together before mating. Then the male looks for another mate.

The seal's natural predators are orcas, polar bears, wolves and wolverines. In addition for threats from predators, due to the effects of global warming, icepacks have begun breaking up earlier than in the past. Birthing lairs are often destroyed before the seal pup is able to forage on its own leading to poor body condition.

In the summer Ringed seals feed along edge of the sea-ice for polar cod. In shallow water they feed on smaller cod. Ringed seals may also eat herring, smelt, whitefish, sculpin, perch, and crustaceans.
ajitjoshi19, JohnTulip, Hendrika, norenastramus, boomcat has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Nel,
Nice shot and a good timely capture. The sharpness and clarity is excellent. Well done.
Regards,
-Ajit

Hallo Nelly.
Lovely picture you shows here.
Mooie scherpe foto, het middag zonlicht weerkaatst wel wat op de glansende huid.
Fijne Valentines dag en groeten van Jan

Hallo Nel

Strong picture in mood and sharpness

John

**

Hello Nel
Wonderful clear shot of this beautiful animal and great note about here
I,m glad to see so great image
TFS
Cheers,Braca

Nou Nel, daar kan ik van meepraten en als je door je lens kijkt zie je al helemaal niet waar hij opduikt.
Duikt hij dan eindelijk op dan reflecteert het licht op al die nattigheid.
Inderdaad, heel goed gelukt - en dat water met die kringen staat er ook prima op.

TFS
Els

Hello again Nel, splendid portrait of this cute creature with wonderful details and excellent sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • azaf1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 740 W: 61 N: 1255] (6932)
  • [2008-02-14 20:53]

Hi Nel
Seals are always a nice thing to capture. In the area where I live there are many living in the sea, and I have across some when going out in a boat
TFS
Argiris

  • Great 
  • Fons Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1299 W: 2 N: 202] (15586)
  • [2008-02-15 1:27]

Zeer mooie opname zuiver en speels

Hi Nel,
This is a nice capture and composition. I like the brilliance on the seal’s skin and texture. They are not easy indeed to capture. I noticed some little OE spots, especially on its head and neck but I know that it must have been difficult to calibrate and not much time to react. Well seen!
Claudine

Hello Nel,
A little cutie popping up for his photograph!
Amazing how well his moustache comes out, hehehe...
A pleasant composition with fine details!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Nel,
Very beautiful capture and beautiful animal.
You do a good job. Congratulations.
Greetings
h.Ayhan
:)

Hi dear friend,
nice to meet your friend :)
Cute posting.
Have a lovely WE.
Ioana
:) soon

hi Nel,

i like your seal shot.. its beautiful.. nice catch of him/her.. well captured as i know it is difficult to shoot because they move so fast.. cute nose hehe..

have a good weekend nel.. happy valentine to you and yours too..

regards, terry
later :))

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