Newly released surveillance images conquered a cruel animal in California when a cruel animal beheaded.
Headless bodies of deceased Zegenspups have been found past beaches in the Golden State for about ten years, making experts stupid about what caused the frightening murders – so far.
The frightening pattern came into existence for the first time in 2015, when dozens of dead baby seals were, said Sarah Grimes, the Stranding coordinator at the Noyo Center for Marine Science in Mendocino County, SF Gate reported.
The painful video, recorded in the early hours of April 30, 2024, showed the perpetrator in action – a Coyote.
The carnivore was seen who placed his leg on the body of a seal while it bit the head of the animal and pulled it furiously.
The images were obtained after Grimes collaborated with Frankie Gerraty, a Ph.D. Student at UC Santa Cruz, who investigated the relationship between marine and terrestrial species.
“What she told me was compelling enough that I thought:” Ok, we have to get cameras there and see what's going on, “Gerraty said the outlet.
A coyote is seen at a ZegelPup in California on April 30, 2024
Headless bodies of deceased seal pups have been found on beaches in the Golden State for about ten years
He said that a Brown Strike Force HD Pro X camera was set up on a piece of driftwood in the sand. The device is designed to capture movement at night.
Although he expected to capture images on time, Gerraty was surprised to see movement only two days after mounting.
He was stunned to hear that the mysterious attacker was finally found, but was also just as shocked that it was the first time that Coyotes ever had been caught on the port seals in the state.
Gerraty quickly informed Grimes about the news, and the couple, together with others, continued to study why and how this happens.
“One of the most exciting things about studying these animals, especially Coyotes, is that they continue to surprise us,” he said.
'They live in our back gardens and we communicate with them fairly regularly. Yet we realize that they do so much more than we had ever expected. '
Grime and Gerraty and other co -authors – Sue Pemberton, Sarah G. Allen and Sarah A. Codde – published a study on 12 February 2025 at the Ecological Society of America about their findings of 2016-2024.
Their research showed that there were 59 examples of baby seals attacked by Coyotes, a majority of which were registered in Bolinas Lagoon, Drakes Estero in Marin County and in Mackerricher State Park – also known as the location of 'Serial Pinniped Predation'.
In Drakes Estero, images of two Coyotes Tag caught that a group of seals that rested along the edge of a sandbank.
The images were obtained after Grimes collaborated with Frankie Gerraty, a Ph.D. Student at UC Santa Cruz, who investigated the relationship between marine and terrestrial species
“They were a bit secretly, tried to approach larger groups of harbor seals and then to grab almost the slowest or most accessible and kill them with bites on the back of the head and the neck,” Gerraty reminded himself that the mammals also went for the flippers of the Marine Animal.
After they had hit the seals, the coyotes would drag their bodies higher on the beach to eat and save for later.
The majority of the victims of the Coyote was slightly less than two weeks old and weighed around 29-33 pounds – about the same weight as the predators.
Gerraty said that although it may seem strange that the coyotes chose to go for the heads of the seals, carnivores who used tactics before.
For the harbor seals on the coast of North California, Gerraty said that 'it is likely' is that Coyotes will first go for the heads' because it is not only the easiest part of the body to gain access to the thinner layer of blubber, but the brain also has the highest nutritional value. ”
He further explained that the skull of a seal pup is slightly thicker than an eggshell, making it easier to make a coyote to crack it during his attack.
The power of the animal bite also reveals more of the meat of the puppy when it pulls on its head.
'The fact that some of the skulls are missing can be because they can easily wear them back to their fabrics for their youngsters to consume.
The majority of the victims of the Coyote was slightly less than two weeks old, with a weight of around 29-33 pounds – about the same weight as the predators
“Much of this happens during the peak season for Coyotes in the spring,” Gerraty added.
Camera images also revealed that coyotes were not the only animals who parties on the young puppies, because turkey cultures, ravens, seagulls, rodents and even bare eagles, who are threatened in California, hold them.
“I think it shows that coyotes are often tackled in the media to do the things that Coyotes do, including hunting,” he said.
“But sometimes we don't appreciate the ways in which Coyotes can serve our nature habitats.”
Coyotes are known for their hunting skills, and together with seals it is known that they hunt for sea birds, fish and intertidal invertebrate animals, including sponges, shrimp, sea cones and more.
Gerraty believes that the number of incidents will only increase in the coming years. In 2019, he suspects that more than 30 percent of baby seals in Mackkerricher State Park was hunted by the wild fangs.
In reality, he thinks that that number is actually higher, and adds: 'I absolutely think that coyote predation of puppies for port stamps is more common. It just went largely without papers. '
Gerraty thinks that the Zegelpopulation could turn to other areas to rest and give birth in an attempt to avoid the predators. (Depicted: a head of the seals that can be seen by Drake Beach in 2019)
Coyotes are known for their hunting skills, and together with seals it is known that they hunt for sea birds, fish and intertidal invertebrates, including sponges, shrimps, sea -tiles and more
He also thinks that the meaning population could turn to other areas to rest and give birth in an attempt to avoid the predators.
“It can also be a sign that they become more watchful, and perhaps they will be better at avoiding predation,” he noticed.
Gerraty did not yet release the images because they were conducting more research for the study.
One of the first observations of Headless Seal -pups was made in 2016 by David Stuart, resident of Steveston, who ran his dog on the beach.
Stuart noted that the body was without cutting wounds and the one around the neck was “surgical,” he said.
'The rectum of the seal has been removed and highlighted; It makes no sense, “Stuart told Richmond News in 2016.
“This was a crime scene in my opinion; This had to be viewed. '
He reported authorities who believed that the wounds were “consistent with those of a big propeller.”
