Elephant Point on Livingstone Island in the South Shetland Islands

[thomasjmitchell]

They are big, smelly and really noisy when they are in a large group and I am not talking just about males in general - even though all these seals happen to males. I am talking about the large Pinnipeds known as Southern Elephant Seals! They only come to shore typically twice a year - 1)To mate, where they fight to maintain a territory and hence defend their area, which will contain a harem of females he wishes to mate with; & 2)To molt - to regenerate their fur and skin to maintain their body temperature whilst they are in the freezing, deep waters for the rest of year.

This time they are molting. This it is what we refer to as a ”wallow”, which is when these large mammals (that can get up to 3-4 tonne in weight) will huddle together to maintain their body heat whilst they regenerate this outer protective layer that is vital to protect themselves against the cold elements of their environment.

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!steemitworldmap -62.671393 lat -60.844226 long elephant seal haul out molting d3scr

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Comments

[korkmaz]

Very Beautiful

[thomasjmitchell]

Thanks!

[olesia]

Very nice)

[thomasjmitchell]

thank you!

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[tsnaks]

Haha

The sea elephants

[kieranstone]

What a life they have :D

[hesaid]

Very informative sir. So that is why they tend to get close to each other 🤔 now I know. I never knew some mammals do molt. Hehe

[thomasjmitchell]

they are pretty awesome!

[jeraterta]

I have never seen a seal in my entire life. I want to see even a single one. I think they're very cute and adorable, aren't they? ♥

[thomasjmitchell]

that they are! you should go and see them then. you might have to jump on a plane though and travel somewhere that is a little colder than the phillippines. is that where you live?

[jeraterta]

Yes, I am from the Philippines. Hopefully, if given a chance to visit in a colder place than the Philippines, I would really love to see one of them.

[the-great-mo]

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