Post the Twenty-Sixth

Elephant Seals

Ugly, oversized, smelly, ill-tempered and with a huge honk, there isn't much to like about them.  And yet, for some strange reason I feel an affinity....

Every summer migrating elephant seals gather on the coasts around Davis to moult.  This process sees them shedding last year's skin, which evidently is quite irritating for them.  Although from my observations, breathing is quite irritating to an elephant seal.

All of the seals gathering at Davis are bulls, and for the most part they are juveniles - young lads undergoing the transition to adulthood.  A key indicator of this is that they spend their time either sleeping or fighting.  And they spend all of their time stinking.  Adolescent males for certain!

Not all are youngsters though.

I ventured down to the beach just down from the mess in order to get some shots of the young lads, and discovered this.

A load of bull

This bloke is no youngster.  Nevertheless he had made his way to the seal wallow which is just 100 metres or so up from the waterline and was happily dozing in the sun.  And making contented snorting noises.  And that's about as active as he got.  To ram that point home, here is some video footage of him being frightfully active.

That was exciting, wasn't it?

Mostly though, it's the young'uns.  And mostly they gather just above the waterline to sleep, moult and argue with each other.

Interestingly it seems that most - if not all - of these young elephant seals were pupped at Macquarie Island, a fact which has been determined by the numerous tagging programmes that have taken place over the decades.   It's quite coincidental, since Macquarie Island is also an Australian Antarctic Division station.

Perhaps we should have these bad boys on the payroll.

Here are some of them on the beach, with a photo I took before any of the morning's disagreements got underway.  

The Beach Boys

When not arguing they seem quite co-operative, don't they?  They lie together for warmth, I would guess.  Being in such close proximity makes it so much more convenient when you want to pick a fight, too.  Which will happen all throughout the course of the day.

And on cue, here is a fight being picked.

My what a lovely singing voice.  Bing Crosby, eat your heart out.

A difference of opinion.

But it's not just about being irrascible (although they are).  The mating strategy of the elephant seals is territorial dominance.  That is to say, back on the beaches of Macquarie Island, only those bulls who are big enough, strong enough, aggressive enough and skilled enough at fighting will be able to maintain territory.  And only the bull that controls territory will be able to mate with the females in it.

So unless these guys learn how to fight, and fight well, they will not get the opportunity to mate.  The selfish gene in action.  So while here at Davis, they practise.  And my my, but do they practise a lot.

Practice makes perfect.

 Here's a video of a donnybrook.  Not too vicious - they are simply going through the motions - but some of these sessions are willing.  It's not uncommon for them to wound each other - I often see small ( but bloody) gashes on their necks.

If you listen at the end you'll hear an amusing little sound.  Well, if you're anything like me you'll find it amusing.  It's perfectly in keeping with the personal habits of these beasties.
 

Even more practice!

Another way these delightful fellows have of proclaiming their dominance is with a bellow.  Quite a melodious sound, I'm sure you'll agree.

And that's pretty much the day of the 'ellie' seal at Davis during the summer.  And that's the sight that greets me as I look down to the beach from the mess each time.  So picturesque!