As athletes from around the world compete in the 2012 Olympic games in London this summer, we take a look at some interesting comparisons between these human heroes and our pinniped champions!
Congratulations Marine Mammal Champion - You Went for the Gold!
While we don't have medals to award you - we do have FREE marine mammal ringtones for your cell phone! You can download yours here!
You'll also be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a 1 year FREE basic membership with The Marine Mammal Center! Winners will be notified by email by August 24, 2012.
Now - here are the answers to those questions!
How long can northern elephant seals stay underwater?
60 minutes
120 minutes
90 minutes
Northern elephant seals can stay underwater (not quite holding their breath, but analogous) for up to 2 hours! By comparison, according to the world records academy, the longest duration of a human holding breath underwater is17 minutes and four seconds.
How deep can a northern elephant seal dive?
5,565 feet
5,788 feet
4,572 feet
The deepest dive recorded of a northern elephant seal was a female at 5,788 feet! By comparison, the deepest dive a human has made without assisted suit/apparatus was less than 1000 feet.
California sea lions can swim in bursts of speeds up to:
30 mph
40 mph
50 mph
California sea lions can swim in burst speeds up to 25-30 knots (30mph), but generally cruise at about 5-15 knots (11mph). By comparison, the fastest time recorded for a human to swim in a single burst is 4.5 mph
The largest marine mammal on earth is:
Adult male northern elephant seal
Adult male fin whale
Adult female blue whale
Blue whales are the largest marine mammals on the planet! Records indicate some individuals at over 100 feet in length (70-9 feet is average) and an adult female can weigh upwards of 110-130 tons! By comparison, the heaviest human recorded was a woman from Flint, MI who was 5' 7" tall and weighed 1,600 pounds.
The fastest dash recorded for a northern elephant seal on land is:
27.79 mph
8.0 mph
15.23 mph
In short bursts, northern elephant seals can move on land at 8 mph! By comparison, the fastest a human was recorded moving on land, unassisted, was 27.79 mph.
Related:
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