Do monk seals eat turtles?

Do monk seals eat turtles?

Monk seals primarily feed on squid, octopus, and fish. Even though monk seals can dive to 1,500 ft. A handful of monk seals have been found feeding on lobsters, and while no monk seals have been known to dine on sea turtles, on one of our paddling tours we encountered a monk seal that was aggressively handling a honu.

Do monk seals eat penguins?

Yes, seals do eat penguins. Seals are carnivorous mammals and predators. Some varieties of seals such as fur seals and leopard seals regularly eat penguins on land and in the sea. A major part of their diet comprises penguins and other small Antarctic creatures.

Is a monk seal a carnivore?

The Hawaiian monk seal is a reef carnivore that preys on bony fish, spiny lobster, eels, octopus, squid, shrimp, and crabs. Juveniles hunt during the day, while adults hunt at night. Monk seals are hunted by tiger sharks, Galapagos sharks, and great white sharks.

How much does a monk seal eat?

Monk seals eat about 4-8% of their body weight, depending on the age class of the seal. If there is an increasing population of seals in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) there is concern that seals may be negatively impacting the local ecosystem.

Do monk seals have teeth?

The Hawaiian monk seal has a relatively small, flat head with large black eyes, eight pairs of teeth, and short snouts with the nostril on top of the snout and vibrissae on each side.

What are monk seals predators?

Tiger sharks often prey upon Hawaiian monk seals as evidenced by shark bite wounds present on many monk seals. Other shark predators include gray reef and white-tipped reef sharks.

Do monk seals have predators?

Where do Hawaiian monk seals sleep?

beaches
Hawaiian monk seals are mostly solitary and don’t live in colonies like sea lions or other seals. But they do sometimes lie near each other—usually not close enough to make physical contact—in small groups. They usually sleep on beaches, sometimes for days at a time.

What are the food sources of monk seals?

Hawaiian monk seals are “generalist” feeders, which means they eat a variety of foods depending on what’s available. They eat many types of common fishes, squid, octopus, eels and crustaceans (crabs, shrimp and lobster). Diet studies indicate that they prefer prey that is easier to catch than most of the locally popular game fish (e.g. ulua, papio and oio).

What are the Predators of the Mediterranean monk seal?

Tiger sharks, great white sharks, and Galapagos sharks are both predators of the Hawaiian monk seal . Mediterranean monk seals are diurnal and feed on a variety of fish and mollusks , primarily octopus, squid, and eels , up to 6.5 pounds (2.9 kg) per day.

What is the Hawaiian monk seal ‘s diet?

Hawaiian monk seal Diet. These monk seals prefer to feed on spiny lobster, eels, larval fish, flatfish, small reef fish and octopus. They can spend many days at the sea feeding, which can be up to one month, and they can eat as much as 10% of their body weight in one day.

What is the life cycle of a Hawaiian monk seal?

Pups are nursed for five to six weeks. LIFE CYCLE: Adult monk seal females begin to give birth between the ages of five and nine. For males, the age of sexual maturity is unknown, but it is thought to be the same as females’. The species’ average lifespan is from 25 to 30 years .