How can seal pups and seabird chicks be protected from extreme weather?

Seal pups and seabird chicks need cozy shelter and warm places to stay safe during wild weather.

Imagine you're playing outside on a chilly day, and there's a big wind that makes your cheeks turn red, that’s what happens to seal pups and seabird chicks when the weather gets really rough. They’re little and not used to the cold or strong winds yet.

Seal pups often live in pups’ nurseries, which are like cozy blankets made of ice and rock. These nurseries help keep them warm and safe from freezing winds. When the weather is too wild, they can curl up close to their mom or find a spot that blocks the wind, just like how you might hide behind a big tree on a windy day.

Seabird chicks, on the other hand, live in nests made of grass and feathers. These nests act like little tents that keep them dry when it rains or stormy winds blow through their homes. If the weather is too bad, they can snuggle under their parents’ wings, just like how you might cuddle with your mom on a rainy day.

Sometimes, people help by making shelter areas near where the pups and chicks live, so they have extra places to hide when it gets really cold or windy.

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Examples

  1. A storm hits a seal pup on a rocky beach, but it is sheltered by its mother.
  2. Seabird chicks are kept warm in their nests during cold spells.
  3. Extreme heat can dry up the food sources of young animals.

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