‘Crazed’ cannibal seals are killing pups by biting down on their throats and DROWNING them
Experts had thought the wounds were caused by shark attacks
GREY seals are known for being cute and cuddly, but they can quickly become savage cannibals who feast on helpless pups.
That's according to a disturbing new study, which found that certain deranged adults kill younger seals by biting onto their necks and dragging them underwater.
The behaviour is contained to small numbers of the grey seal population, and one researcher even said that if the seals "had a police force", one serial cannibal picked out by researchers "would be locked up".
This study is the first time that scientists have witnessed the cannibalistic behaviour of seals up close and they even performed an autopsy on the seal victim to see how extensive the damage was.
in the Journal of Sea Research, the research describes how one adult male seal captured, killed and began to eat a younger seal.
The killer seal bit down on its victim's throat and then drowned it under the water.
Escape attempts were made by the young seal but, after just ten minutes of struggling, the water turned red and the pup stopped moving.
The cannibal seal then spent 90 minutes eating its victim and tearing its blubber apart.
Lead researcher Abbo van Neer then collected the deceased seal carcass for his investigation.
He said: "This is the first time we have the whole story."
The researchers were trying to prove that a number of other brutal cannibal seal attacks have happened before.
Seals that have previously washed up with the injuries of the seal pup in this study have been considered to have died from shark attacks or a collision with a boat propeller.
However, van Neer doesn't think all seals can become cannibals but just a "a few specialised individuals".
What turns animals into cannibals?
Animals can turn into cannibals for a number of reasons but opinions on why seals turn into savages vary.
Biologist Amy Bishop once observed , which could have been due to the fact that male grey seals don't eat whilst they stay on the beach to breed with females and this particular male may have wanted to prolong his time there.
Van Neer thinks it makes sense that seals would eat each other for energy purposes.
However, some experts believe that the animal could have a personality disorder or be a 'crazed' individual.
Marine Biologist Andrew Trites told : "I have a hard time believing that he did it because he was hungry...If grey seals had a police force, this guy would be locked up."
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