Southern elephant seal
- The south atlantic elephant-seal is the largest member of the pinnipeds in the world. Males can reach a body length of 5.8 m and weigh up to 3700 kg.
- Newborn pups of the south atlantic elephant-seal weigh between 40–46 and 50 kg. This is the highest weight among newborn offspring of seals.
- The south atlantic elephant-seal can dive to a depth of up to 2000 meters. The maximum recorded duration underwater was 120 minutes.
- Male south atlantic elephant-seals have a inflatable trunk and large size after 3 years. Individuals older than 3 years become very large.
- The south atlantic elephant-seal got its name because of the presence of a close relative — the north atlantic elephant-seal — in the Northern Hemisphere. The north atlantic elephant-seal is smaller but has a longer trunk.
- Males are 3–5 times heavier than females and have a huge proboscis for roaring.
- Spends 90 % of its time at sea underwater.
- Males fight for harems.
- Moults, shedding skin and fur.
- Feeds on squid and fish.
Age
Southern elephant seals typically live for 15 to 25 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 23 years and a theoretical lifespan ranging from 19 years and 11 months to 28 years and 6 months. The age of sexual maturity in the species ranges from 3 years and 11 months to 10 years. Eyes open at birth, and the embryo develops inside the mother’s body. The pup is born on the shore and feeds on its mother's milk for a period lasting from 2 weeks and 6 days to 4 weeks. An adult individual is capable of reproduction and spends most of the year in the ocean, with the adult stage lasting from 4 years to 30 years and 2 months.
Phenotype
The southern elephant seal pup has thick black fur that protects it from the cold on land. The species possesses flippers used for swimming and moving on land, and males have a long nasal proboscis that inflates during vocalizations and in mating contests. A thick layer of fat under the skin protects the adult from the cold and serves as a food reserve.
Physiology
Southern elephant seals exhibit considerable variation in physical dimensions; body height ranges from 17.8 centimeters to 3.5 meters, while body length varies from 2.5 to 6 meters. The species’ mass can range from 233.38 kilograms to 0.42 metric tons. During the embryo stage, body mass is between 1 and 15 kilograms. Pups weigh from 30 to 45 kilograms and measure 1 to 1.3 meters in length. Adult southern elephant seals have a body mass of 2 to 5 metric tons and a body length of 4 to 6 meters.
Habitat
The southern elephant seal occupies very deep ocean environments that are very dark and cold, where unusual fish reside, as well as open ocean habitats far from shore with deep water, inhabited by large whales and sharks; the species lives in marine environments, on the seabed, within the demersal zone, in the open sea, and in the bathypelagial and epipelagial zones. The animal’s habitat includes polar seas that are nearly always covered in thick ice and very cold year-round, polar tundra characterized by extreme cold, a short summer, and abundant moss, extremely cold areas with much snow and ice, near-polar seas that are largely covered with ice or contain numerous ice floes, and cold tundra environments with short summers and few trees; the species can be found at elevations up to 20 meters.
Shelter
The southern elephant seal is found on the coasts of subantarctic islands and does not have permanent or long-term shelters. The species uses locations for breeding, molting, and resting, but does not establish permanent shelters.
Geography
The Southern elephant seal inhabits the world of Antarctica and the Maritime region, its habitat being Antarctica. Males migrate north during the breeding period, while females and calves remain in the waters of Antarctica.
Feeding
The southern elephant seal feeds in the open ocean and its primary prey consists of squid and fish, with the species also preying on Klyukachi and Makrorus. The animal hunts actively by diving and capturing prey with its teeth, capable of dives deeper than two kilometers and remaining submerged for approximately two hours. Its daily food requirement ranges from 50 kilograms to 120 kilograms. Pups consume milk. In some cultures, the species is eaten, but it is not considered halal or kosher.
Reproduction
The southern elephant seal undergoes development from embryo to pup in 7 months and 1 week. Reproduction occurs on land, and males fight for large harems of females; after approximately eleven months of gestation, a single pup is born. The size of the litter is one, and the interval between reproductive events is one year. The species inhabits and develops on land, outside of bodies of water, with eggs or young developing in nests built on or near the ground. These nests are located directly on the surface of the ground. Southern elephant seals give birth to live pups on land, rather than hatching from eggs or larvae. Sexual reproduction is always accomplished through fertilization, without generational changes. The species reaches maturity from 3 to 10 years of age; only the mother exhibits parental care for the pup within the nest.