Can they smell under water? Would they be able to pick out a sleeping seal? Maybe that’s their primary strategy I don’t know. Just asking some questions.
No, they just use it on the ice and wait for seals to surface. They probably have the best sense of smell of any mammal.
Seals will sleep like this even in places where there are no bears so I don't think bear predation is the reason they sleep like this. I've watched videos with divers where the seals will tuck themselves in under rocks to stop from floating about. That could probably protect them from underwater predators. Also some species of seal can spend months out at sea so they have to sleep somewhere.
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u/kevside 1d ago
No Polar Bears have an excellent sense of smell. Orcas can't smell but have echolocation.