Question

The fur color of the adult northern seal, created by a dark brown pigment, is due to a specific enzyme. Suggest reasons why baby seals are born with a pure white coat.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

Even though Northern seals display a dark brown skin color, their pups are born with a fluffy white coat. This allows them to camouflage with the environment as they are unable to swim like the adults, keeping them away or hidden from predators.

Once they are around three weeks old, they start to lose this layer and begin to look like the "normal" seals.

Moreover, due the predominant climate in which they live, the color of the fur depends on genes and, therefore, enzymes. These enzymes are present during cold temperatures and, due to the warm conditions of the womb, these enzymes are denatured. After the seal pup is born, its cells produce a higher amount of enzymes to adjust to the temperature of their habitat and stays with the brown color to maintain homeostasis.