Weddell Seals pupping.

Tide crack near iceberg

The first Weddell Seal pup has been sighted near Mawson, unfortunately it hadn’t survived.

A small colony of Weddell seals (about 10) have maintained an exit hole in the sea ice along a large tide crack near a large iceberg a short distance from the station. The pup was born between visits on the 8th and 11th September.  A further visit on the 24th September revealed no more pups.

First seal pup did not survive.

Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) belong to a group of seals known as Phocidae or true seals. The most commonly known example of the group is the harp seal.Weddell seals are large animals with both adult males and females about three metres long and weighing around 400–500 kg.

Pregnant female.

The head is small relative to body size and the colour is usually dappled grey and black on the back with a mostly white under-belly.Weddell seals have a circumpolar distribution and are coastal, staying around the fast ice and venturing only 15–20 km into the Southern Ocean to feed.

Ice Hole.

Weddell seals are incredibly placid sedentary animals. They can be approached without much apparent stress to the animal. They haul-out onto the stable fast-ice to rest and moult, and for females to pup, returning to the same area each year. Females of six years and over give birth in October to one pup per year. Pups weigh 25–30 kg at birth and mothers care for them for six weeks by which time they have grown to 110–140 kg. Pups learn to swim and haul-out of the water from one week old.

Seal returning to the colony after feeding.

Weddell seals are the most southerly ranging mammal to permanently inhabit the Antarctic continent. Sightings of the seals have been made in New Zealand and Australia, though they are very rare.

A visit on quads.

Weddell seals are carnivores. Their food varies with time and location but mid-water (pelagic) and bottom dwelling (benthic) fish, squid, octopus and prawns are common.

Sun through alto stratus cloud

Weddell seals are very capable divers, remaining under water for up to 45 minutes and reaching depths as great as 720 m in search of prey. (Source AAD)

Large tide crack near seal colony

looking for new pups.