Nature can be brutal . Anyone who hascowered behind a cushionwatching nature documentaries knows that . We care the idea that animate being are cute and prissy , so finding out that they are apparently more prone to , say , cannibalism than we had recollect is a little shocking .

Researchers studying grizzly seals in the North Sea have come across just that after find and recording in detail an grownup manful detection , violent death , and “ feeding extensively ” on a phallus of its own species .

It ’s not the first meter cannibalism has been keep an eye on in gray seals . In fact , it ’s the third published newspaper publisher on it . However , this is the first clock time scientist catch to witness the whole matter up tight and even perform a necropsy afterward on the unfortunate victim . Their findings are published in theJournal of Sea Research .

Being able-bodied to learn the consistency afterward meant the investigator could look for patterns of insect bite marks that may be characteristic of cannibalism . Lead investigator , Abbo van Neer , thinks that if we go back through records of other sealskin fire , we may detect standardized patterns that had previously been attributed to other causes of death , revealing that same - mintage nomming is more vulgar than we had realized in grizzly seals .

This effect happen back in March 2018 on the island of Helgoland , part of a German archipelago in the North Sea between the UK and mainland Europe . Van Neer and colleagues witnessed an adult gray stamp bull grab a adolescent male and hold it submerged while repeatedly bite at its pharynx . Rather dramatically , the researchers trace in their paper that the surrounding water turn red as the seal died .

Once dead , the bull completely vary its behavior and started feeding . Again , in great detail , the authors describe how the skin of the seal was almost fully detach and turned at bottom out , with the bull fertilize on the copious blubber , swallowing ball whole , for a full 90 minute .

When it was finished , van Neer promptly snap up the carcass before any pack rat could get to it and obscure the marking . This   meant they could study the distinctive raciness , tears , and wrong to try and identify specific index that signify stamp - on - Navy SEAL predation .

Previous recorded example of seal of approval cannibalism include the rather grim2016 study – andvideo , if you have the stomach – of a “ rascal ” Samson killing and eat six puppy in a week . Van Neer himself authoredanother paperin 2015 on gray seals observe killing and feed harbour seals in two freestanding instance , as well as discovering several carcase accept similar wound to the cannibalized remains .

Anotherstudy from   2016revealed that the mysterious " corkscrew " marking found in numb seals in Scotland , which had antecedently been attributed to boat propellor and/or shark due to their spiral laceration , were because of seals . Photos ofthose woundsand thewounds of this sealdo indeed show similarities . In fact , van Neer looked at a database of sealing wax deaths run back to the nineties and concluded that several deaths were more probable due to cannibalism   – not that van Neer is suggesting it is a   coarse life style pick for seal .

“ We conjecture it ’s probably a few specialized individuals , " he toldNational Geographic . “ It ’s not move to be the majority of the white-haired seal universe . ”

So , why are they turn to the cachet equivalent of dog - eat - wiener ? expert can not agree whether it ’s DOE - rescue for fast males wait to mate to   catch the nearest alimentary - full-bodied nutrient , or just opportunistic or particularly fierce someone . But with mounting evidence and specific indicators that seal depredation has occurred , it will be a lot easy to unscramble this riddle in the future .

[ H / T : National Geographic ]