A Closer Look at … a Weddell Seal’s Temperament
This journal brought to you by:
- Grahamwood CLUE - Nancy Gordan's second graders.
- St. Philomena Junior High
Heading back to school - before going to the ‘ice’
Alex taking an online class - I hope I pass!
The only way for me to find out about the Weddell seal’s temperament – in person - was to go back to school. That’s right – school! Since my research project works directly with live animals, the first thing our team had to do was to submit an animal care protocol (that means a detailed plan of the tests and procedures we hope to perform on the seals) to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This committee reviewed our plans - making sure we were following all laws and guidelines with regards to working with live animals. All team members need to be approved – so I had to take an online course before I could be approved to work on this project.
I’m happy to say I passed!!!
So now, it’s off to the ice!
First day working with the Weddell's!!!!
I’m so excited to report to you today – on my first day on the ice working with the Weddell seals!!! I have to admit, I was a bit nervous. Why, you ask? Several reasons – but the first was because of the seal itself. As I was researching about Weddell seals last fall, I learned that they are apex predators, which means they are at the top of the food chain. That got me thinking about other apex predators such as lions, tigers, and bears. OH MY! – I started to worry. Were these seals going to be aggressive?
Seal looking at scientist with apparent curiosity.
Boy, was I relieved to find these seals were – for being a wild animal – relatively calm and easy to approach. I think – actually I know - I was more nervous than the seals were! In fact, most looked like large lazy slugs who didn’t seem a bit phased by our walking around. Some gave us nothing but an inquisitive glance; others paid a bit more attention to us, then went back to basking in the sun. I’m told that some do have a little more ‘attitude’ than others, but by using caution and following the rules, it’s safe to conduct our research. Weddell seals don’t have any natural land enemies, so they have little need to act defensive or move away when we approach. That’s great for me!!!
They don’t look like they can move very fast, but Dr. Burns says they can move faster than I can walk – if they want to. So, I guess I still need to be on my toes.
Underwater
Male Weddell seal with defense scratches on his lower belly and flippers. Photo credit - Jesse Hiatt.
These seals are much more active and lively underwater. We can see evidence of their activity in the scratches and marks on their fur and skin. These scratches were most likely made while defending their breathing holes. But, while they are ‘hauled out’ on the ice, they are trying not to do anything but save energy – so it’s time to sleep, warm up in the sun, or digest food.