Science work in the Erebus Bay study area this pupping season was made more challenging than usual for the field research team by the sea ice conditions. "Despite the ice being somewhat thinner and warmer than is typical, we were able to safely and successfully conduct all of our work", notes Rotella. "The main implications of the thinner ice had to do with the heavy equipment that hauls our four huts for our camp out to the sea ice early in the season and back to McMurdo at the end of our season."
"The ice thickness led to concerns for safely operating the heavy equipment. Thus, our field camp could only be on the sea ice for part of our field season. Fortunately, much of the new ice that was present this year allowed us to get our work done despite working from McMurdo Station (rather than our sea-ice camp) for the last portion of our season."
That science work consisted of locating all the new pups born in the study area, placing small unique identifying tags between their rear flippers, and adding info on those pups and their moms into the extensive multi-decade Weddell seal database. A select number of pups and moms had their mass (weight) assessed, with pups weighed at birth, in the middle of the approximately 45 day nursing period, and then again at the end of the nursing period. Some of those pups also received a small temporary tag to record how often and how long those pups spent in the water learning to swim and spending time close to their moms. The field research team also made several surveys of the entire study area to determine the total number of Weddell seals present this year.
With these data added to the extensive population database, project scientists are able to better understand how this population is faring, and make new discoveries about what characteristics of Weddell moms and pups are important to Weddell pup survival to adulthood and successful future reproduction. The scientists are also able to construct detailed genealogies for many of the seals studied year after year. And this information identifies Weddell seal super moms in the process!
Great work all! And a huge Thank You to the National Science Foundation, the United States Antarctic Program, and all the great support people at McMurdo Station!
For more short articles on the science work of the project, what we've learned and how we've learned it, and these amazing Weddell seals, check out our collection of posts and articles, images and video on our Select Articles page of WeddellSealScience.com. We have lots of great images and info available on our Weddell Seal Science Instagram page, and many more videos on our Weddell Seal Science YouTube Channel!
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