Elephant seals in Antarctica are a unbelievable sight to behold on any trip to Antarctica and one of many region’s most distinctive and recognisable species. Certainly one of our favorite species is the Elephant Seal, here are some enjoyable details about these magnificent creatures and the environment they inhabit. An Antarctic cruise is an icy safari, with many various species of animals to observe. Females are smaller and weigh round 7 - 800 kg. An adult 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 round 50 kilograms. Inside three months they'll 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 feminine Elephant seal is stuffed animal 9 months. Elephant seals are extremely social animals and kind massive groups or harems for a month in the course of the breeding season. Elephants seals are among the largest carnivores in the world eating squid and fish as the main sources of meals of their food plan, and have been measured diving up to as much as 2000m deep and might hold breath for up to two hours! Sexual dimorphism is a physical difference between the male and feminine of a species. Males could also be up to 10 times the weight of reproductive females. Elephant seals can be discovered throughout the Antarctic region, however are most prevalent around the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They have been hunted for his or her blubber throughout the sealing days. Solely 2 - 3 % of male Elephant seals truly breed. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to light the town a 12 months. 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. Nevertheless, from a small group of animals left, there are now an estimated inhabitants of 150,000 which reside primarily across the Baja Gulf in Mexico and on the shores of Southern California, USA. Their primary predator is the Orca, and in the northern most a part of their vary.. Large sharks. Leopard seals have also been known to assault and kill stray young. They're known as elephant seals as a consequence of a lot of reasons, partly because of 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 volume of the sound is a demonstration to others how highly effective 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 - regardless of their measurement they can move quick on land, and are highly aggressive when defending their territory and young. Generally they don't seem to be afraid of man, nevertheless if disturbed whereas resting, reproducing or marking territory they can be a different proposition. Keep clear as per most wildlife you encounter in your cruise. Despite as soon as being on the endangered list, due to the protection of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is not in any rapid hazard. Thanks to Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for serving to 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 last PinkTarctica Antarctic expedition to the Peninsula and is a number one expert on Elephant seals and their behaviour. Dr. Mikolaj is a native of Poland, and was base commander of the Polish base on the Antarctic Peninsula for several seasons.
