What is the adaptation to seal & snow leapord?

Animal

Anatomical adaptationsBehavioural adaptationsPhysiological adaptations

Weddell Seal - more
Leptonychotes wedelli

The most southerly dwelling of all mammals. Live at the edge of pack ice wherever there is a breathing hole or tide crack.

  Fore and hind limbs developed into flippers for swimming

  Smooth, streamlined shape to pass easily through the water

  A substantial blubber layer lies under the skin acting as insulation, so allowing the seals to swim indefinitely in frigid Antarctic waters down to -2C 

  Large eyes to help hunting prey under water and frequently under ice where light levels are very low

  Whiskers (vibrissae) that help the seals feel their way in the dark when catching prey
  Seals keep open breathing holes in the ice by rasping back and forth with their teeth, so allowing them to live further south than any other mammal

  They can swim large distances between breathing holes and cracks, finding the next hole using a form of sonar with high pitched sounds

  They avoid the "bends" when diving by exhaling first and allowing the lungs and air passages to collapse

  Males compete for underwater territories based around a breathing hole which gives access to females using the same breathing hole

  They flush fish out that are hiding in broken up ice by blowing bubbles into it
  Weddell seals can dive for over an hour, though 20 minute dives are more common. They can dive to 600m

  The "cost" of diving in terms of extra oxygen consumption is about 1.5 x the sleeping rate - this is much lower than other diving seals and birds

  The blood has high haemoglobin concentrations and can carry 1.6 times more oxygen than human blood

 Weddell seal milk is one of the richest produced by any mammal,containing about 60% fat

  The females mate shortly after giving birth, the embryo goes into a kind of hibernation for a few months so it is not born before the full year is up and it is the correct season

 

Photo credit: Aaron Logan

Region 1- (the nasal cavity) - snow leopards have a deep nasal cavity and a large chest which helps the animal breath at the high altitudes. Not only, is the nasal cavity deep but it also has specialized sinus passages which warms the cold air before it enters the lungs.  
Region 2- (eyes)- snow leopards have great eye sight, with the ability to see six times better than humans can. Their magnificent eye sight allows them to more easily spot prey.  
Region 3- (ears)- These cats have rather small ears which have the ability to flatten out making it easier to conceal themselves behind rocks to stalk prey. These small ears also let less heat escape from their bodies allowing them to stay warmer. 
Region 4- (shoulders)- snow leopards have incredibly strong shoulders muscles that help them climb the steep cliffs and big rocks that cover their habitat.
Region 5- (fur on underbelly)- the fur seen on the underbelly of a snow leopard can reach up to 3 inches long. This long hair forms a wooly undercoat which traps heat and keeps the cat warm. 
Region 6- (paws)- The front paws of the snow leopard are large than those in back. These big “snow shoes” help the snow leopard from falling through soft snow. photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCSThe pads on the paws are very thick and covered with fur to aid in warmth and friction to keep them steady. The combination of thickly padded paws and fur also keeps the snow leopard’s paws from being hurt by the sharp rocks. 
Region 7- (hind legs)- The hind legs of these cats are very muscular. Strong hind legs are necessary to complete wide jumps between ledges. Due to these powerful legs snow leopards are able to jump a distance of 45 feet from one ledge to another. 
Region 8- (tail)- These cats are different from other cats in that it’s  muscular tail can be the length of it’s body. The tail acts as a ruttier for the cat helping with balance. When the tail it not being used in balance it aids in warmth. When a snow leopard rests it wraps the long fluffy tail around it’s body to keep warm.

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Thank you very much SANGEETA.

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