Early pupping of a sub-Antarctic fur seal at Inaccessible Island, Tristan da Cunha

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Bester, Marthan Nieuwoudt, Ryan, Peter G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2019
• Subjects: Sub-Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis); Breeding season; Median birthdate; Delayed implantation; Early birth; Antarctic; Tristan; Inaccessible Island; Antarc*; Antarctic Fur Seal; Polar Biology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/70357; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02510-7

A sub-Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus tropicalis, pup was located on Inaccessible Island in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago (TdC), well before the start of the annual breeding (pupping and mating) season in 2018. It was born a few days before 27 September 2018, at least 59 days before the next pup was observed on the island in 2018 and 75 days before the median birthdate for the species at the TdC. A malfunctioning of the obligate delay of implantation of the blastocyst in its mother was likely the cause of the early birth. http://link.springer.com/journal/300 2020-06-01 hj2019 Mammal Research Institute Zoology and Entomology