Fig. 5

Flipper stroke rates were higher for northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) swimming normally during the short foraging trip (N = 13) than during the long foraging trip (N = 6). In comparison, seals swimming with added drag during their short trips (N = 3) stroked consistently faster than normally swimming seals during the same time (Welch two-sample t-test, t = −10.9982, df = 7.471, p < 0.001). Dark horizontal bars represent median (50^th percentile) values while the lower and upper limits of the boxes represent the 25^th and 75^th percentiles, respectively. Whiskers correspond to the 1.5 interquartile range, and points represent outliers