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I can see why you were confused. It is taken at an angle that most =
would not expect.
Seals, when they are resting at the surface, have a posture that is =
often called "Bottling" which, of course, refers to how a bottle will =
float in the water with the neck and mouth out of the water, vertical in =
the water. This may be a protective posture with the head tilted back, =
since predators are more likely to attack from behind their prey rather =
than in front, and thus a resting seal, if disturbed, can open its eyes =
and be looking behind itself.=20
It also makes breathing easier when remaining at the surface when the =
head if vertical since the nostrils on seals are at the end of the =
snout, although this seal's head is tilted quite far back. Seals usually =
stop to breathe at the surface unlike whales where their nostrils have =
moved to the top of their head which allows them to swim and breathe =
without stopping.=20
This is not to say that the seal was not swimming on its back but an =
additional possibility.
Laurie Murison
Grand Manan Island, NB
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Jeannie Shermerhorn,Cape George,Richmond County=20
To: nature=20
Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2013 9:13 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] a little stumped?
Hi all,=20
Here is a photo of a seal taken in St.Peter's, not a very good photo I =
might add. I have cropped it twice, so 3 photos in all. I was wondering =
if it has something in it's mouth, because the head looks a bit odd.=20
=
http://jeannies.smugmug.com/Nature/bits-and-pieces/24769962_r2rBSj#!i=3D2=
469516698&k=3Dvr85cJn=20
Jeannie Shermerhorn=20
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>I can see why you were confused. =
It is taken=20
at an angle that most would not expect.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Seals, when they are resting at the surface, have a posture that is =
often=20
called "Bottling" which, of course, refers to how a bottle will float in =
the=20
water with the neck and mouth out of the water, vertical in the =
water. =20
This may be a protective posture with the head tilted back, since =
predators are=20
more likely to attack from behind their prey rather than in front, and =
thus a=20
resting seal, if disturbed, can open its eyes and be looking behind=20
itself. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It also makes breathing easier when remaining at the surface when =
the head=20
if vertical since the nostrils on seals are at the end of the =
snout,=20
although this seal's head is tilted quite far back. Seals usually =
stop to=20
breathe at the surface unlike whales where their nostrils have moved to =
the top=20
of their head which allows them to swim and breathe without stopping. =
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is not to say that the seal was not swimming on its back but =
an=20
additional possibility.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Laurie Murison</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Grand Manan Island, NB</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Djeannies@ns.sympatico.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:jeannies@ns.sympatico.ca">Jeannie Shermerhorn,Cape=20
George,Richmond County</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">nature</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, April 21, 2013 =
9:13=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] a little=20
stumped?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Hi all, </DIV>
<DIV>Here is a photo of a seal taken in St.Peter's, not a very good =
photo I=20
might add. I have cropped it twice, so 3 photos in all. I was =
wondering=20
if it has something in it's mouth, because the head looks a =
bit=20
odd. </DIV>
<DIV> <A=20
=
href=3D"http://jeannies.smugmug.com/Nature/bits-and-pieces/24769962_r2rBS=
j#!i=3D2469516698&k=3Dvr85cJn">http://jeannies.smugmug.com/Nature/bit=
s-and-pieces/24769962_r2rBSj#!i=3D2469516698&k=3Dvr85cJn</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV id=3Dox-signature>Jeannie Shermerhorn=20
<BR><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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