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Wild Chronicles heads to the wintry waters of the North Atlantic to solve a mystery—two populations of seals share Sable Island's harsh environment, yet one is thriving and the other is not. To find out why, scientists called on National Geographic's Crittercam® to help them see as seals see and go where humans can't. Now Crittercam® is back from the deep freeze, the evidence is in and the mysteries of the seals are exposed.
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What two types of seals inhabit Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada?
Grey seals and harbor seals both live on Sable Island.
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What is the major difference between the two types of seals?
Grey seals are larger than harbor seals.
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Scientists on Sable Island use Crittercam® to observe seal behavior. What particular behavior do they hope to observe?
Scientists hope to see if grey seals and harbor seals have the same sources of food, and use similar hunting techniques.
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Do both seal populations feed on the same food source?
Yes, both grey and harbor seals feed primarily on a fish called the sand lance.
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What is the difference in the hunting techniques of the seal populations?
Grey seals hunt sand lances near the ocean floor, while harbor seals hunt in the open ocean, where the fish swim in schools.
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Term Part of Speech Definition Encyclopedic Entry Crittercam Noun camera designed to be worn on a wild animal, providing a "critter-eye view" of the animal's environment.
environment Noun conditions that surround and influence an organism or community.
seal Noun marine mammal with flippers and a sleek coat.
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Editor
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Producers
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Nina Page, National Geographic Society
Last Updated
Aug. 23, 2011
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