Elephant seals in Antarctica are a improbable sight to behold on any journey to Antarctica and one of many region’s most unique and recognisable species. One in every of our favorite species is the Elephant Seal, here are some fun info 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 adult male Elephant seal can weigh up to 5 tonnes and measure as much as six and a half metres! Elephant seal infants when born weigh round 50 kilograms. Inside 3 months they are going to weigh 150kg! Pups are typically 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 kind giant groups or harems for a month in the course of the breeding season. Elephants seals are amongst the most important carnivores in the world eating squid and fish as the main sources of food in their weight-reduction plan, and have been measured diving up to as much as 2000m deep and may hold breath for up to 2 hours! Sexual dimorphism is a physical distinction between the male and female of a species. Males may be up stuffed elephant toy to ten times the burden of reproductive females. Elephant seals will be discovered across the Antarctic area, but are most prevalent across the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They have been hunted for his or her blubber in the course of the sealing days. Only 2 - 3 % 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 variety, so there are nonetheless issues over the long run of those animals. Nonetheless, from a small group of animals left, there are actually an estimated population of 150,000 which dwell primarily around the Baja Gulf in Mexico and on the shores of Southern California, USA. Their primary predator is the Orca, and in the northern most part of their range.. Massive sharks. Leopard seals have additionally been identified to assault and kill stray young. They are known as elephant seals resulting from a lot of reasons, partly due to their dimension and likewise partly due to the male snout or trunk that inflates to impress and intimidate rivals when competing with other 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, however keep your distance - despite their dimension they'll move quick on land, and are highly aggressive when defending their territory and younger. Generally they are not afraid of man, however if disturbed whereas resting, reproducing or marking territory they can be a distinct proposition. Keep clear as per most wildlife you encounter on your cruise. Regardless of once being on the endangered checklist, because of the protection of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is not in any immediate hazard. Thanks to Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for helping put this together. Nonetheless, over-fishing of Antarctic waters and human activities may 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 professional 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.
