Cow-pup behaviour of the weddell seal, leptonychotes weddelli (Pinnipedia), in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

• Published in: Wildlife Research
• Main Authors: Tedman R.A., Bryden M.M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: CSIRO Publishing 1979
• Subjects: Ecology; Evolution; Behavior and Systematics; Management; Monitoring; Policy and Law; 1105 Dentistry; 2308 Management; McMurdo Sound; Turtle Rock; Weddell; Antarc*; Antarctica; Leptonychotes weddelli; Sea ice; Weddell Seal
• Online Access: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:403684

Observations on cow-pup behaviour in the Weddell seal from birth to weaning were made at Turtle Rock, McMurdo Sound, during the breeding seasons of 1973 and 1974. Cow-pup pairs congregated about cracks in the sea ice. Pups entered the water for the first time between 8 and 12 days of age and continued to enter the water with their mothers usually at least once per 24 h throughout the rest of the 6- to 7-week nursing period. Inconsistent suckling was rare. Twenty-two marked cows suckled their own pups and no others, but on two out of 486 suckling bouts a marked pup attempted to suck from a foreign cow at least once. The total time spent suckling decreased from a mean of 298 min per 24 h during the first week postpartum to 152 min per 24 h during the last 2 weeks of the nursing period. The frequency of suckling periods decreased from 13.0 to 5.4 per 24 h during the same interval. The diurnal activity pattern in the suckling coincided with the movements of the seals in and out of the water. The growth rate of pups decreased after the second week post partum, associated with increased swimming activities, decreased sleeping time and a decreased time spent suckling.