Satellite Tagging I
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The mystery revealed!!!! Claudio's newest line of research is to study the Southern Elephant Seal movement off-shore. Where do the seals go throughout most of the year. We know they return yearly to the beach they were born to breed, but very little is known about their off-shore living space. That is why Claudio is attaching SATELLITE TAGS to the animals. For many months these tags will broadcast the seal's position whenever it comes to the surface to breath for about 3 minutes. Most of its sea life is spent under water.
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Claudio's assistant, Victoria Zavattieri, has prepared paint and is naming this seal, MARIA. This name will help identify the seal easily from a distance in the future.
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Also, Claudio is attaching an identification tag to the animal's tail flipper. This tag will ensure that the animal can be found and studied on Peninsula Valdez every October and November when she comes back to shore to breed.
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Maria is being measured for her length and width. Let's see how much she'll grow this year. She is still a young female. We'll find out in October 2004, when we expect her to return to this beach from the depths of the sea, hundreds of miles from here.
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Maria's torso circumference is also important, so Claudio is measuring this here. How much will her circumference increase if she comes back next year pregnant? Gestation lasts 10 months, and Maria will be at sea during this time feeding to build up her blubber. Her milk, on which her pup will feed, is 50% fat and protein.
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Actually, this is a fantastic photo of 2 studly sailors, isn't it?! Flo, in the red jacket and video camera, is filming me caring for the anesthetized seal. In the next few months we will add video to our education section to give you the best account possible of what Claudio's work with the seals is like.
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Scary teeth! I'm happy I'm not a fish or squid, the Elephant Seal's primary food source. This female is perfectly healthy and her teeth are clean and strong!
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The seal is slowly waking up again and Wildlife catamaran sailor, Kate, is giving her some shade to keep her cool and relaxed.
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Co-captain Flo has found new friends. So, Flo, what are they saying? "Zzzzzzz…", I think.
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Kate and Victoria relaxing between happy Elephant Seals. A long days work has been very successful and we are looking forward to receiving information from Maria's satellite tag over the Argos Satellite System. Where will she go? How far will she travel? It is vital to discover mystery because it will allow us to understand the animal better in order to conserve it in the future.
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