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| Southern Elephant seals are the largest species
of seal. They are true seals with streamlined bodies and thick layers
of blubbers. Bull Elephant seals older than 3 years tend to develop
large inflated noses which grow until the bull seal reaches maturity
at 8 years. The female Elephant seals tend to return to one spot each
year, and the bull Elephant seals battle between eachother to become
the beachmaster and father to that season's batch of seal pups (except
for those sneaky juniors on the edge of the colony...). |
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One happy family
Livingston Island
Towards the end of the season, Elephant seals come ashore to molt.
They clump together in a wallow, emitting a strong odour and provide
hours of entertainment as they belch and honk amongst themselves.
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A roar of colour
Aitcho Islands
Moulting elephant seals are invariably various shades of earthy
brown, so when they open mouths (usually to utter several deep gutteral
belches of protest as another seal slides over the top of them...),
it is in vivid contrast to the surrounding seals.
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Thigmotactic sensation
Aitcho Islands
Word of the cruise... Thigmotactic is the word used to describe
being confortable huddled up to many others - a word that clearly
describes the moulting elephant seals!
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Comparison
Golden Harbour, South Georgia
The tiny fur seals 'defend' their territory from some deeply uninterested
elephant seals
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Wallowing hippos...
Golden Harbour, South Georgia
This glacial meltwater may only be a degree or two above freezing,
but to the resting elephant seals, this is clearly a sauna!
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Who are you?
Golden Harbour, South Georgia
A curious elephant seal looks up
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Making use of man's relicts
Stromness Bay, South Georgia
OK, to me it was freezing - wind chill around -5C, but why these
ENORMOUS bull elephant seals should want to protect themselves from
the elements in this shed was beyond me! I wonder how they got out
(or how they got in, as they look considerably wider than the door...)
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