Truly animals of the ice, Weddell seals live and give birth further south than any other mammal.
While in McMurdo in early February, I spent a fascinating day
with Dr. Jennifer
Burns and her team of biologists and veterinarians from the
University of Alaska Anchorage (Weddell Seal
Biology: B-292) who are researching the relationship between seal
reproduction and molting.
By examining females early and late in the molt cycle,
researchers are characterizing the molting process histologically and
physiologically and gather new and important data on factors influencing the
onset of active gestation and/or miscarriage rates.
We visited several hundred seals and I was amazed by the diversity of appearances and personalities. Notice the unique round white spot on top of this seal's head.
Handlebar Whiskers.
This guy got in a fight, likely over a female.
A beauty, maybe who the male was fighting over?
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