Elephant seals in Antarctica are a improbable sight to behold on any journey to Antarctica and one of the region’s most distinctive and recognisable species. One in all our favorite species is the Elephant Seal, here are some fun facts about these magnificent creatures and the environment 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 adult male Elephant seal can weigh up to five tonnes and measure as much as six and a half metres! Elephant seal infants when born weigh around 50 kilograms. Inside 3 months they'll weigh 150kg! Pups are typically born from September to October when stuffed elephants 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 large groups or harems for a month during the breeding season. Elephants seals are among the largest carnivores on the planet eating squid and fish as the main sources of meals of their weight-reduction plan, and have been measured diving as much as up to 2000m deep and can hold breath for up to two hours! Sexual dimorphism is a physical distinction between the male and female of a species. Males may be up to ten instances the load of reproductive females. Elephant seals might be found throughout the Antarctic region, however are most prevalent across the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They were hunted for his or her blubber in the course of the sealing days. Only 2 - 3 % of male Elephant seals actually breed. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to gentle town a year. These animals have grown from a small group of animals, and do lack genetic diversity, so there are still issues over the future of these animals. Nevertheless, from a small group of animals left, there at the moment are an estimated inhabitants of 150,000 which dwell primarily 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 part of their range.. Large sharks. Leopard seals have also been known to attack and kill stray younger. They're known as elephant seals attributable to quite a few reasons, partly because of 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 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 move fast on land, and are extremely aggressive when defending their territory and young. Usually they don't seem to be afraid of man, nevertheless if disturbed while resting, reproducing or marking territory they are often a distinct proposition. Keep clear as per most wildlife you encounter in your cruise. Despite once being on the endangered list, because of the protection of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is not in any quick danger. Due to Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for helping put this collectively. Nevertheless, over-fishing of Antarctic waters and human actions could sooner or later see some issues with their native habitat. Dr. Miko was a lecturer on-board our last PinkTarctica Antarctic expedition to the Peninsula and is a leading professional 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.
