The Wonders of Weddell Seals

Now that our research is underway, we have had a chance to interact more closely with the seals and get to know their unique attitude and behaviors, which distinguish them from their pinniped (seal and sea lion) cousins. The consensus from our team is that Weddell seals are truly special creatures. We have been amazed at their calm demeanor when we approach them on the sea ice, nothing like the skittish harbor seals or aggressive and territorial elephant seals we work with at home. They either ignore our presence completely or roll onto their backs to gaze at us from different angles, trying to make sense of the large red “penguins” walking in their midst. The pups wiggle around next to mom, icicles forming on their whiskers but otherwise toasty in their thick fluffy lanugo coats, intermittently nursing and napping, and exploring in the safety of mom’s shelter. Their heads appear tiny relative to their large body size compared to other phocids (true seals) of similar size. The shape of their faces makes them look like they are perpetually smiling, like Hawaiian monk seals. But the most phenomenal aspect of these animals is their other-worldly vocalizations: the chirps, chugs, and eerie swirling trills echo all around us from above and below the ice simultaneously. It seems impossible that this perfect soundtrack to an alien outer space movie could be coming from these seals. Check out the short video below to listen to some of their sounds. (Note that the male in this video has some minor wounds, likely from fighting with another male.) You can also hear more examples of their vocalizations by cheking out the McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory (MOO) live stream, from underwater in McMurdo Sound: Click here for MOO live stream

Written by: Heather Harris (HH)