Elephant seals in Antarctica are a fantastic sight to behold on any trip to Antarctica and one of the region’s most distinctive and recognisable species. Certainly one of our favorite species is the Elephant Seal, listed below zenwriting.net/camrodeitd/elephant-seals-in-antarctica-are-a-incredible-sight-to-behold-on-any-trip-to are some fun info about these magnificent creatures and the setting they inhabit. An Antarctic cruise is an icy safari, with many alternative species of animals to observe. Females are smaller and weigh around 7 - 800 kg. An grownup male Elephant seal can weigh up to 5 tonnes and measure as much as six and a half metres! Elephant seal babies when born weigh around 50 kilograms. Within three months they may weigh 150kg! Pups are generally born from September to October when their mothers come ashore at their berthing beaches across the continent. The gestation period for a female Elephant seal is 9 months. Elephant seals are extremely social animals and type massive groups or harems for a month during the breeding season. Elephants seals are among the most important carnivores in the world eating squid and fish as the principle sources of meals in their weight loss program, and have been measured diving up to up to 2000m deep and may hold breath for up to two hours! Sexual dimorphism is a bodily distinction between the male and feminine of a species. Males could also be up to 10 instances the burden of reproductive females. Elephant seals may be discovered throughout the Antarctic region, however are most prevalent across the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They were hunted for his or her blubber throughout the sealing days. Solely 2 - three % of male Elephant seals really breed. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to light the city a yr. These animals have grown from a small group of animals, and do lack genetic range, so there are nonetheless considerations over the future of those animals. Nonetheless, from a small group of animals left, there are actually an estimated inhabitants of 150,000 which stay mainly around the Baja Gulf in Mexico and on the shores of Southern California, USA. Their major predator is the Orca, and within the northern most a part of their vary.. Massive sharks. Leopard seals have also been identified to assault and kill stray younger. They are known as elephant seals as a result of a number of reasons, partly due to their size and also partly because of 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's, 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. Benefit from the majestic Elephant seal on a cruise to Antarctica, but keep your distance - regardless of their measurement they will move fast on land, and are highly aggressive when protecting their territory and younger. Usually they don't seem to be afraid of man, nevertheless if disturbed while resting, reproducing or marking territory they are often a different proposition. Keep clear as per most wildlife you encounter in your cruise. Regardless of once being on the endangered listing, as a result of protection of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is no longer in any instant hazard. Thanks to Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for helping put this collectively. However, over-fishing of Antarctic waters and human activities could sooner or later see some points with their native habitat. Dr. Miko was a lecturer on-board our final PinkTarctica Antarctic expedition to the Peninsula and is a leading knowledgeable 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 a number of seasons.
