Elephant seals in Antarctica are a implausible sight to behold on any trip to Antarctica and one of many region’s most unique and recognisable species. One in all our favorite species is the Elephant elephant stuffed animal Seal, listed below are some enjoyable information 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 around 7 - 800 kg. An grownup male Elephant seal can weigh up to 5 tonnes and measure up to six and a half metres! Elephant seal infants when born weigh round 50 kilograms. Inside three months they may weigh 150kg! Pups are typically born from September to October when their mothers come ashore at their berthing beaches around the continent. The gestation period for a feminine Elephant seal is 9 months. Elephant seals are extremely social animals and form massive groups or harems for a month in the course of the breeding season. Elephants seals are among the most important carnivores on the planet eating squid and fish as the main sources of food of their diet, and have been measured diving up to as much as 2000m deep and may 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 times the weight of reproductive females. Elephant seals could be discovered throughout the Antarctic area, however are most prevalent across the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They were hunted for his or her blubber throughout the sealing days. Solely 2 - three % of male Elephant seals really breed. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to mild the city a 12 months. These animals have grown from a small group of animals, and do lack genetic range, so there are still concerns over the long run of those animals. Nonetheless, from a small group of animals left, there are now an estimated inhabitants of 150,000 which reside mainly around the Baja Gulf in Mexico and on the shores of Southern California, USA. Their foremost predator is the Orca, and in the northern most a part of their vary.. Large sharks. Leopard seals have also been known to attack and kill stray young. They're referred to as elephant seals resulting from quite a lot of causes, partly due to their dimension and also partly because of the male snout or trunk that inflates to impress and intimidate rivals when competing with different males for his harem. The depth and volume 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. Benefit from the majestic Elephant seal on a cruise to Antarctica, but keep your distance - despite their dimension they'll transfer quick on land, and are highly aggressive when defending their territory and younger. Usually they aren't afraid of man, nevertheless if disturbed while resting, reproducing or marking territory they can be a different proposition. Keep clear as per most wildlife you encounter on your cruise. Despite once being on the endangered listing, due to the safety of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is now not in any fast danger. Thanks to Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for serving to put this together. Nonetheless, over-fishing of Antarctic waters and human actions might in the future 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 knowledgeable 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.
