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 zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in his important book Systema Naturae. At that time, it was named Phoca leonina. Later, in 1827, another scientist named John Edward Gray created the genus name Mirounga for this seal.

In the 1800s, people sometimes 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 can be much larger than females, often five to six times heavier. On average, females weigh between 350 to 900 kg and are 2.6 to 3 metres long, while 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 well. Pups are born with black fur that keeps them warm, and their fur changes colour as they grow older.

Range and population

The southern elephant seal has a large population, with estimates around 650,000 in the mid-1990s and between 664,000 and 740,000 in 2005. These seals live in three main groups, each in a different ocean.

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

The biggest group lives in the South Atlantic, with over 400,000 seals. This includes areas like Gough Island and South Georgia. Other groups are found in the south Indian Ocean, with up to 200,000 seals, and in the subantarctic islands of the Pacific Ocean near Tasmania and New Zealand, mainly on Macquarie Island.

After seal hunting ended in the 19th century, their numbers grew again by the 1950s. However, since then, some groups in the Indian and Pacific Oceans have decreased for reasons that are not fully understood. The population now appears stable, though scientists are still studying what caused these changes.

Behaviour

Elephant seals can stay on land for several weeks each year. Males arrive earlier than females and fight for control of groups of females called harems. Bigger males usually win these fights and get to stay with the females. Smaller males might try to sneak in when the bigger males aren't looking.

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

After coming close to disappearing because of hunting in the 1800s, the number of southern elephant seals was thought to be between 664,000 and 740,000 in 2005. However, by 2002, two of the three main groups of these seals were getting smaller. We don't fully know why this is happening, but it may be because the animals they eat are becoming harder to find or there is less of their food available. Many of the 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 in many ways. These seals live in the Southern Ocean, an area that is very sensitive to changes in the environment. Scientists have used special equipment attached to the seals to collect important data over many years. This helps us understand how climate change is impacting the seals and the Antarctic ecosystem.

Southern elephant seals are good at diving deep and eating a lot of food, which 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 the places where seals find food can change with the weather and seasons, these seals seem able to adapt to these changes.

Notable individuals

One famous southern elephant seal was Minazo, who lived at Enoshima Aquarium in Japan. He became well-known for his unique pose with a bucket in his mouth. After Minazo passed away in 2005, a musician created music and artwork in his memory.

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 causing trouble by blocking cars and roads. His visits made many people worry about his safety and the safety of others.