15 October 2014 Elephant seals and fur seals

Elephant seals and fur seals, oh my

Two fur seals possibly onshore to have pups and breed.

Imagine walking through wildlife that has no fear of your presence, a nod of the head, a shuffle to a more comfortable position, common motions as if you weren't even there. Annenkov Island was an oasis of no humans, indigenous wildlife species were the rulers of their domain. Elephant seals, fur seals, penguins, and a myriad of birds coexisting: eat or be eaten.

Sleeping on the beach, notice the distinctive ears of this Antarctic fur seal.

Let's start today with our Antarctic fur seal: According to the guide, the only eared seal on South Georgia, averaging in length between 1.5 and 2 meters. With a diet of predominantly krill, fish, and penguins. This nighttime feeder will come ashore in early spring (November) to give birth, and breed. Many of the seals we saw were close to giving birth and then jumping right back into their breeding cycle. The pups are nursed for five to eight days and the mothers mate, starting the cycle all over again.

This Antarctic fur seal appears ready to use the tussocks to give birth.

According to the book I am referencing, the Antarctic fur seal has recovered well since the cessation of exploitation (hunting for their fur) with 95% of the species living on South Georgia. Sadly the number one cause of mortality in the Antarctic fur seal is getting tangled in fishing nets and other marine debris.

A perfect sunny day for a nap on the beach.

Greetings to the southern elephant seal, the big Southern Ocean seal, with the males weighing up to 4,500 kilograms (over 9,900 lbs).
What is so interesting about this species is that they are rarely seen at sea, spending most of their time below the surface. Most dives last for 30 minutes to over an hour, reaching depths of 400 to 1,000 meters.

This large southern elephant seal is probably not the 'beach master' but does show evidence of trying to assert his dominance.

Male southern elephant seals are polygynous (today's science word) and have harems of up to one hundred females, and are known as the 'beachmasters.'

This male could possibly be the 'beach master'. He surely has the size and the wounds to show dominance.

Females come ashore in late September and October to pup, and then breed similar to our fur seals. The female leaves after approximately 25 days and returns to the sea.

Less than a month old, this young elephant seal is already learning the ropes.

Elephant seals will then come ashore in summer to molt, which lasts two to three weeks. I was fascinated to learn that the molt is not only the shedding of hair, but also the skin that the hair is attached to. An elephant seal diet is mostly fish, squid, and crustaceans.

A small group, or possibly the beginnings of a harem of elephant seals already with young pups. No afternoon nap is complete without a little stretch. I call this in yoga "Forward Facing Elephant Seal Tail"