In a scene reminiscent of a doomsday movie, the beaches of Valdes Peninsula in Argentina, once teeming with elephant seals, lay barren, littered with carcasses. This grim spectacle is a stark reminder of an unseen enemy: a powerful strain of avian influenza, now ravaging 320 bird and mammal species globally, including elephant seals. This avian […]
Tag: elephant seal
Neil the Seal Goes Viral, Prompting Concern for His Welfare
A three-year-old Southern Elephant seal, affectionately dubbed Neil the Seal, has gone viral on the internet. An Instagram account with the handle @neiltheseal22 has amassed over 65,000 followers. The account documents the antics of juvenile Neil, who already weighs a whopping 1,300 pounds. However, wildlife experts have raised concerns about the seal’s safety in the […]
Petition: Help Protect Neil the Seal from Humans
Neil the Seal is a 1,300-pound southern elephant seal who has become a viral sensation in Tasmania. However, there is growing concern for his welfare. Neil’s adventures, while amusing and endearing to many, underscore the potential risks when such a large wild animal becomes too accustomed to human interaction. We must ensure Neil’s safety is […]
Sex on the beach: pressures of extreme polygamy may be driving southern elephant seals to early death
Extreme polygamy may be driving male southern elephant seals to early deaths, new research suggests. A study of 14,000 southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Macquarie Island in the south-western Pacific, has found that while survival rates for males and females are roughly comparable for juveniles, male survival rapidly decreased after eight years of age, […]
How One Curious Seal Led Scientists to a Climate Disaster
Climate change is a complex issue, and scientists are constantly working to uncover new evidence that helps us understand the dangers we face. But sometimes, clues to a potential disaster can come from the most unlikely of places. Such is the case with a curious seal and a wayward robot that helped scientists uncover a […]
Seals use their their long, cat-like whiskers to track down their prey in the deep, dark ocean
Seals use their whiskers to track down their prey in the deep, dark ocean, according to a study that observed the sea creatures in their natural habitat. Because light can’t penetrate the darkness of the ocean’s depths, animals have devised a range of adaptations to survive and hunt there. Whales and dolphins, for example, use […]
Man sentenced for shooting protected elephant seal dead on California coast
A man has been sentenced to three months in federal prison for shooting a protected northern elephant seal to death on the central California coast. Armed with a .45-caliber handgun and a flashlight, on the night of 2 September 2019 Jordan Gerbich, 30, opened fire on an elephant seal at a popular viewing area where […]
Video: Up Close With King Penguins and Elephant Seals
Just above Antarctica, off the island of South Georgia, lies a breeding hot spot for elephant seals and king penguins known as Gold Harbour. Filmmaker Richard Sidey captures incredible raw footage and the natural sound of this wild bounty for part of his series, Speechless. With the absence of narrative, the viewer is left to […]