Elephant seals in Antarctica are a fantastic sight to behold on any journey to Antarctica and one of the region’s most unique and recognisable species. One in all our favorite species is the Elephant Seal, listed here are some enjoyable facts about these magnificent creatures and the atmosphere they inhabit. An Antarctic cruise is an icy safari, with many various species of animals to observe. Females are smaller and weigh around 7 - 800 kg. An adult male Elephant seal can weigh up to five tonnes and measure up to six and a half metres! Elephant seal babies when born weigh round 50 kilograms. Inside 3 months they'll weigh 150kg! Pups are usually born from September to October when their mothers come ashore at their berthing beaches across the continent. The gestation interval for a feminine Elephant seal is 9 months. Elephant seals are highly social animals and kind giant teams or harems for a month throughout the breeding season. Elephants seals are amongst the biggest carnivores on the planet consuming squid and fish as the main sources of meals of their weight loss 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 distinction between the male and female of a species. Males could also be up to 10 occasions the burden of reproductive females. Elephant seals will be found throughout the Antarctic area, but are most prevalent across the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They have been hunted for their blubber during the sealing days. Only 2 - 3 % of male Elephant seals actually breed. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to light town a yr. These animals have grown from a small group of animals, and do lack genetic diversity, so there are nonetheless concerns over the future of these animals. Nevertheless, 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 fundamental predator is the Orca, and within the northern most a part of their range.. Large sharks. Leopard seals have additionally been recognized to attack and kill stray young. They're called elephant seals on account of plenty of causes, partly because of their measurement and in addition partly because of 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 highly effective 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. Enjoy the majestic Elephant seal on a cruise to Antarctica, however keep your distance - despite their dimension they will transfer fast on land, and are highly aggressive when protecting their territory and young. Usually they don't seem to be afraid of man, nevertheless 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. Despite once being on the endangered record, because of the protection of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is no longer in any stuffed animal elephant immediate hazard. Because of Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for helping put this collectively. However, over-fishing of Antarctic waters and human activities might in the future see some issues with their native habitat. Dr. Miko was a lecturer on-board our final PinkTarctica Antarctic expedition to the Peninsula and is a leading 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 a number of seasons.
