Meet This Year’s Seal Pups!

We are halfway through our sampling, and it’s time you met the pups at the center of it all. This season, we named our seal pups after different types of candy. Because it is so cold here, we have to consume more calories than we normally would. When we are in the field, that means having some candy on hand, for a quick burst of calories and sugar to keep us going. So, we can’t do our science without some candy on hand…and we definitely can’t do our science without our seal pups!

Caramello got his name because he is a mellow little pup. He sticks close to his mom and seems to have an easygoing personality.

Charleston Chew, on the other hand, is a feisty pup who is quick to snap at nearby animals, including other pups and even his mom!

Kit Kat is another spirited pup, who earned her name because she wouldn’t give us a break! She likes to climb on her mom and she tends to hang out close to the sea ice cracks.

Sweetart has both a lively and a sweet side. She likes to stay tucked behind the snow berms and pressure ridges, with or without her mom.

Rollo is our biggest pup, weighing in at 113 pounds at only one week old, and gaining another 78 pounds in just two weeks! She has been in the water with her mom a lot, so she is managing to fit swimming and lots of nursing into her regular routines.

Mr. Goodbar is another mellow pup, who has been hanging out reliably close to our hut at Turtle Rock. He and his mom tend to rest in the exact same position as one another, which is really cute to see. He is learning how to be a good seal in every way.

Twix is often found tucked in amongst other animals. He has been gaining weight almost as fast as Rollo has, packing on the blubber so he can be ready when it’s time to be on his own.

Snickers had an impressive weight gain between one and three weeks, gaining 82 pounds in two weeks! She packed on those calories, just like the candy bar.

Smartie is another lively pup, but also a mama’s boy. He has been in the water with his mom, but he doesn’t seem too eager for those swimming lessons.

Skittles has been on the move with her mom, showing up all around Turtle Rock. She makes the funniest noises at her mom or anyone who will listen.

We have four more weeks to interact with these pups before they will be on their own. We are grateful for the chance to learn from them as they grow, and as their mothers help prepare them to face the harsh environment where they live. It’s tough to be a seal here at the bottom of the world, and it’s exciting to learn a little about how these critters do it! We will miss them when it’s time for us to go home and they start to venture out on their own…

Written by: Heather Liwanag