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| Pictures of Antarctica |
Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes wedelli) pup with mother
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Weddell seals usually have their
pups on sea-ice, getting in and out of the sea through a breathing hole.
These breathing holes are guarded and kept open by the males during
the time when the females give birth. The male guarding the hole
will defend a territory beneath the ice against other males for access
to mates. The females are ready to breed again shortly after the birth
of the pup so the males that successfully defend a breathing hole will
mate with the mother seals that use this hole, typically this will be
a ratio of about 10 to one. Photo; © Paul Ward - Pentax equipment,
100mm lens, 35mm film, K64. |
