Southern elephant seal

The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) is one of two species of elephant seals. It is the largest member of the clade Pinnipedia and the order Carnivora, as well as the largest living marine mammal that is not a cetacean.

These seals are famous for their huge size and the long, trunk-like nose, or proboscis, on the males. This nose helps the males make very loud roars during the breeding season.

A male southern elephant seal, called a bull, is about 40% heavier than a male northern elephant seal and almost twice as heavy as a male walrus (Odobenus rosmarus).

These seals live in cold parts of the world, mostly around Antarctica, and are amazing swimmers and divers, able to stay underwater for long periods while hunting for food.

Taxonomy

The southern elephant seal was first described by the Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. At that time, it was named Phoca leonina. Later, in 1827, another scientist, John Edward Gray, gave it the name Mirounga.

In the 1800s, people called this seal the "bottle-nosed seal" because of its shape.

Description

The southern elephant seal is a very large seal. It is bigger and heavier than the northern elephant seal. Male southern elephant seals are usually much larger than females.

Females usually weigh between 350 to 900 kg and are 2.6 to 3 metres long. Males can weigh from 1,500 to 3,700 kg and grow up to 4.2 to 5.8 metres long.

These seals have large, round, black eyes that help them see in low light. They have strong, webbed "feet" that help them swim. Baby seals are born with black fur to keep warm, and their fur changes colour as they grow older.

Range and population

The southern elephant seal has a large population. They live in three main groups, each in a different ocean.

These seals mainly feed near the edge of the Antarctic continent. They may come ashore in Antarctica to rest or mate, but they usually gather to breed in subantarctic areas.

The biggest group lives in the South Atlantic, including areas like Gough Island and South Georgia. Other groups are found in the south Indian Ocean, and in the subantarctic islands of the Pacific Ocean near Tasmania and New Zealand, mainly on Macquarie Island.

After seal hunting ended, their numbers grew again. However, some groups have decreased for reasons that are not fully understood. The population now appears stable, and scientists are still studying these changes.

Behaviour

Elephant seals can stay on land for several weeks each year. Males arrive earlier than females and try to lead groups of females called harems. Bigger males usually win and stay with the females. Smaller males might try to join in when the bigger males are busy.

When elephant seals fight, they use their weight and teeth, but these fights are not usually deadly. The losing male will run away, though he might get some cuts. Males often make loud roaring sounds to show off or warn others. Young elephant seals are born quickly and start feeding right away. After about three weeks, the mothers stop feeding them, and the young seals gather together to play and learn to swim.

Elephant seals spend most of their time in the water, diving deep to hunt for food like squid and fish. They can dive deeper than almost any other air-breathing animal that isn’t a whale, reaching depths of over 2,300 meters! While hunting in the dark, they may use their special facial whiskers to help find food. They return to the same hunting areas every year.

Sometimes, young elephant seals can be attacked by other animals like orcas, leopard seals, or large sharks.

Conservation

The southern elephant seal almost disappeared because of hunting in the 1800s. In 2005, there were thought to be between 664,000 and 740,000 of these seals. But by 2002, two of the three main groups of seals were getting smaller.

We don't fully know why this is happening, but it may be because the animals they eat are harder to find or there is less food available. Many places where these seals have babies are now safe because of international agreements, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, or laws in different countries.

Climate change

Climate change can affect marine animals like southern elephant seals. These seals live in the Southern Ocean, an area that changes easily with the environment. Scientists have used special equipment on the seals to collect important data. This helps us learn how climate change impacts the seals and the Antarctic ecosystem.

Southern elephant seals are good at diving deep and eating a lot of food. This makes them important for studying the health of the ocean. By watching how these seals find food and stay healthy, scientists can learn about the whole Antarctic ecosystem. Even though where seals find food can change with the weather and seasons, these seals can adapt to these changes.

Notable individuals

One famous southern elephant seal was Minazo. He lived at Enoshima Aquarium in Japan and became known for a special pose with a bucket in his mouth. Minazo passed away in 2005. A musician made music and artwork to remember him.

In 2023, a large southern elephant seal nicknamed "Neil the Seal" became popular online. Neil often visited places where people live in southern Tasmania. Sometimes, he blocked cars and roads, which caused some trouble. His visits made many people worry about his safety and the safety of others.