Elephant seals in Antarctica are a incredible sight to behold on any journey to Antarctica and one of the region’s most distinctive and recognisable species. One in every of our favorite species is the Elephant Seal, listed below are some fun details about these magnificent creatures and the setting they inhabit. An Antarctic cruise is an icy safari, with many different species of animals to observe. Females are smaller and weigh round 7 - 800 kg. An grownup male Elephant seal can weigh up to five tonnes and measure as much as six and a half metres! Elephant seal babies when born weigh around 50 kilograms. Inside three months they will weigh 150kg! Pups are generally born from September to October when their mothers come ashore at their berthing beaches across the continent. The gestation interval for a female Elephant seal is 9 months. Elephant seals are extremely social animals and type giant teams or harems for a month through the breeding season. Elephants seals are among the most important carnivores on the planet consuming squid and fish as the principle sources of meals in their weight loss program, and have been measured diving as much as as much as 2000m deep and may hold breath for up to two hours! Sexual dimorphism is a bodily difference between the male and feminine of a species. Males could also be up to ten instances the load of reproductive females. Elephant seals might be discovered throughout the Antarctic area, however are most prevalent around the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They had been hunted for his or her blubber throughout the sealing days. Solely 2 - 3 white elephant stuffed animals % of male Elephant seals actually breed. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to light the city a 12 months. These animals have grown from a small group of animals, and do lack genetic diversity, so there are nonetheless considerations over the long run of these animals. Nevertheless, from a small group of animals left, there are now an estimated population of 150,000 which dwell mainly around the Baja Gulf in Mexico and on the shores of Southern California, USA. Their predominant predator is the Orca, and in the northern most part of their vary.. Giant sharks. Leopard seals have also been known to assault and kill stray younger. They are referred to as elephant seals as a consequence of a number of causes, partly due to their measurement and in addition partly due to the male snout or trunk that inflates to impress and intimidate rivals when competing with different males for his harem. The depth and quantity of the sound is a demonstration to others how powerful he is, and thus so avoids fights with competing males. The trunk is inflated with air which is inhaled and thus a loud bellowing sound is produced. Enjoy the majestic Elephant seal on a cruise to Antarctica, but keep your distance - despite their size they'll transfer fast on land, and are highly aggressive when protecting their territory and young. Typically they are not afraid of man, nonetheless if disturbed while resting, reproducing or marking territory they can be a unique proposition. Keep clear as per most wildlife you encounter on your cruise. Regardless of once being on the endangered checklist, due to the protection of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is no longer in any rapid danger. Thanks to Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for helping put this collectively. Nevertheless, over-fishing of Antarctic waters and human activities might in the future see some points with their native habitat. Dr. Miko was a lecturer on-board our last PinkTarctica Antarctic expedition to the Peninsula and is a number one expert on Elephant seals and their behaviour. Dr. Mikolaj is a local of Poland, and was base commander of the Polish base on the Antarctic Peninsula for several seasons.
