TY - JOUR
AU - Lugg, D. J.
AB - Abstract Weddell seals, Leptonychotes weddelli, were observed in the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica, from February 1963 until March 1964, by members of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions. Some seals were marked, enabling data to be gathered on their annual cycle. During the short summer a few seals were found molting on the mainland beaches, while a decrease in numbers occurred throughout the winter. In spring the seals reappeared, and the observed pupping season was from 14 October to late November. Between 150 and 200 seals are born annually. Female seals hauled out and pupped within 24 hours. Among 60 newborn pups examined 32 were females and 28 males. Pups could swim at 4 weeks, and were weaned at 6 weeks. Two weeks after weaning the pups and mothers separated. The mortality of the pups was extremely low. The louse, Antarctophthirus ogmorhini (Enderlein, 1906), was not found on young pups until after they had attained their adult coat. Some male seals were absent from the area until after the peak of the pupping in the last week of October. Following the breakup of the breeding colonies in December, no concentrations of seals were found until the following spring. Literature Cited ANARE Biol. Logs and Rep. , Davis 1957–1964. Unpublished Rep., Antarctic Division, Dep. External Affairs , Melbourne . Bertram G. C. L. 1940 . The biology of the Weddell and crabeater seals: with a study of the comparative behaviour of the Pinnipedia . Br. Graham Land Exped. 1934–37. Sci. Rep. , 1 : 1 – 139 . Google Scholar OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat Dearborn J. H. 1965 . Food of Weddell seals at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica . J. Mamm. , 46 : 37 – 43 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Holdgate M. W. 1965 . Biological research by the British Antarctic Survey . The Polar Record , 12 : 553 – 573 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Ingham S. E. 1960 . The status of seals (Pinnipedia) at Australian Antarctic Stations . Mammalia , 24 : 422 – 430 . Google Scholar OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat Kooyman G. L. 1965 . Techniques used in measuring diving capacities of Weddell seals . The Polar Record , 12 : 391 – 394 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Law P. G. 1959 . Narrative, The Vestfold Hills . ANARE Rep. , Series A, 1 : 50 pp. Antarctic Division, Dep. External Affairs, Melbourne . Lindsey A. A. 1937 . The Weddell seal in the Bay of Whales, Antarctica . J. Mamm. , 18 : 127 – 144 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Mansfield A. W. 1958 . The breeding behaviour and reproductive cycle of the Weddell seal . (Leptonychotes weddelli Lesson). F.I.D.S. Sci. Rep. , 18 : 41 pp. Murray M. D. Smith M. S. R. Soucek Z. . 1965 . Studies on the ectoparasites of seals and penguins Part II. The ecology of the louse Antarctophthirus ogmorhini Enderlein on the Weddell seal. Leptonychotes weddelli Lesson . Aust. J. Zool . (in press). Sapin-Jaloustre J. 1952 . Les phoques de Terre Adélie . Mammalia , 16 : 179 – 212 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Smith M. S. R. 1965 . The Weddell seal population of McMurdo Sound . Antarctic , 4 : 46 – 47 . New Zealand Antarctic Society. Google Scholar OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat Weddell J. 1825 . A voyage towards the South Pole performed in the years 1822–24 . Longmans, London . Google Scholar OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat Wilson E. A. 1907 . Mammalia (whales and seals). In National Antarctic Expedition 1901–1904 . Natural History, Zoology , 2 : 66 pp. This content is only available as a PDF. 1966 The American Society of Mammalogists
TI - Annual Cycle of The Weddell Seal in The Vestfold Hills, Antarctica
JF - Journal of Mammalogy
DO - 10.2307/1378127
DA - 1966-05-26
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/oxford-university-press/annual-cycle-of-the-weddell-seal-in-the-vestfold-hills-antarctica-aoowL3E2d0
SP - 317
EP - 322
VL - 47
IS - 2
DP - DeepDyve
ER -