Saturday, May 18, 2019

Iliamna's freshwater seals are unique

Lake Iliamna, in Alaska, has a population of a few hundred harbor seals. hey constitute the only freshwater seal population in the Americas. But were these animals born here, and were they permanent residents or transients that came and went to Bristol Bay via the Kvichak River? Studying their teeth and the minerals deposited therein has given us the answer. This is their home and has been for many generations, and they stay year-round despite the fluctuations of the food supply caused by the summer salmon run. 

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