Dive beneath the sea ice in Antarctica and you might hear the ethereal echoes of Weddell seals – a symphony of space sounds and jungle noises that carries for kilometres in the cold dark water.
Weddell seal takes a breather at a hole in the sea ice, in Antarctica. Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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On ice, they’re blubbery blobs. But underwater, Weddell seals are gloriously graceful swimmers.
They are the southernmost breeding and living mammals in the world, and in this episode, Alison Ballance accompanies scientists as they study a small population near Scott Base. The seals have recently returned to the area to breed, after historic hunting to feed huskies drove them out of the vicinity of the base.
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So how are the local seals faring? Is the recently established Ross Sea marine protected area benefitting Weddell seals? Where are they heading to find a feed? These are the questions the NIWA-led team are investigating using high-tech data loggers and video cameras.
Listen to the full episode to fully submerge yourself in the Weddell seals’ world.
Thank you to Liz Garton for help with this episode.
Learn more:
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Read Alison’s story from the original episode that first aired in 2020.
