“In the first days of life, babies usually weigh 25-30 kg.”, — write: www.unian.ua
In the first days of life, babies usually weigh 25-30 kg.
Polar explorers shared cute shots / photo National Antarctic Science CenterThe first Weddell seal was born this year near the Ukrainian polar station “Akademik Vernadskyi”.“We are extremely lucky. The first Weddell seal pup of this year was born near Akademik Vernadskyi. It is a boy. He was born on Winter Island, which is located opposite Galindez Island, where our station is located,” – said the National Antarctic Science Center of Ukraine.
According to the biologist of the 29th UAE Svitozara Davydenko, the pregnant female was in Winter approximately from September 1.
“We monitored her condition every day: we walked or looked with the help of a drone. On the morning of September 17, we saw from the drone that she was already with a child, and we immediately went to them,” the biologist clarified.
On the spot, the scientist took samples of the placenta, which are then studied for the content of persistent organic pollutants, molecular genetic and other studies are carried out. Also, scientists generally track the annual breeding success of Weddell seals. In particular, it strongly depends on the presence of sea ice, because it is on it or on the shores with a convenient descent into the water that seal pups are born.
According to scientists, in the first days babies usually weigh 25-30 kg and grow very quickly on nutritious mother’s milk – its fat content is 54%. By the end of feeding, which lasts about 3 months, they can reach 90 kg. Adult Weddell seals weigh 400 kg.
“The pregnancy of these animals lasts 10 months, and they can become pregnant already a few months after giving birth. Therefore, weddell cubs are mostly born at the beginning of the Antarctic spring. Each female brings one cub,” the report says.
Scientists offer to choose a name for the first-born together – send your options by the end of the day on September 22. Polar explorers of the 29th UAE will choose the most interesting idea, and its author will receive a gift – a chevron of this expedition.
The latest news of polar explorersAs UNIAN reported, recently in the Antarctic, near the Ukrainian station “Akademik Vernadskyi”, polar explorers recorded a large number of fur seals and an elephant seal. In particular, on the island of Galindez, where “Akademik Vernadskyi” is located, 81 Antarctic fur seals were counted, and one southern elephant seal was also in their company.
In general, Antarctic fur seals often gather in the “Vernadsky” area in the fall during seasonal migrations (yes, it’s autumn in the Antarctic now), and due to global warming, they now stay here longer than before.
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