Moulting juvenile male southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina (L.) at Hannah Point, Walker Bay, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands

Abstract

Southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina (L.) were counted at seventeen discrete moulting sites at Hannah Point, Walker Bay on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands between 2 January and 16 February 1994. The physical characteristics of each moulting site were assessed. Counts through 46 consecutive days demonstrated that the number of juvenile males in dry moulting sites increased as the muddy wallows were gradually abandoned. This pattern of behaviour is similar to the pattern described for other sex- and age-groups (e.g. adult females) in previous studies.