Elephant seals are fascinating creatures, especially when it comes to how they raise their young. When baby elephant seals, called pups, are born, they spend only a few weeks with their mothers. During this time, they drink their mother’s milk to grow strong. After that, the pups are left to learn how to swim, catch fish, and survive in the wild all by themselves.
Some elephant seal pups have a special trick up their sleeves. These are known as “super weaners.” Super weaners are usually large male pups who have figured out how to get extra milk. Here’s how they do it: after their own mothers leave the colony, these clever pups sneak around looking for other mothers who are still nursing their pups. They quietly slip in next to smaller pups and push them aside to drink the milk meant for them.
Being a super weaner isn’t easy. It’s a risky business because the mother seals don’t like it when someone else tries to steal milk from their pups. If a mother seal catches a super weaner, she might bite him, and these bites can be quite painful or even cause serious injuries. Despite the risks, if a super weaner manages to get away with it, he can grow to be very large.
In fact, one study found a super weaner that weighed 227 kilograms, which is almost twice the size of an average weaned pup! Being bigger gives these pups a better chance of surviving when they have to fend for themselves and learn how to fish during the tough months ahead.
In the animal kingdom, size often matters a lot. For elephant seals, being bigger means having more energy stored in their bodies. This extra energy helps them survive longer without food while they learn important skills like swimming and fishing. So, even though being a super weaner is risky, it can give these pups a big advantage in life.
Learning about super weaners shows us how animals can adapt and find clever ways to survive in the wild. It’s a reminder of how amazing and resourceful nature can be!
Imagine you are a super weaner elephant seal pup. Create a short skit with your classmates where you act out the life of a super weaner. Think about the challenges and risks you face while trying to get extra milk. What strategies do you use to avoid getting caught by the mother seals?
Create a colorful poster that explains what a super weaner is and why size is important for elephant seals. Use drawings and facts from the article to show how super weaners manage to get extra milk and the benefits of being larger. Share your poster with the class.
Using the information from the article, calculate the difference in weight between an average weaned pup and a super weaner. Discuss with your classmates why this weight difference might be important for survival. How does being larger help a super weaner in the wild?
Write a short story from the perspective of a super weaner. Describe a day in your life, including your adventures and the dangers you face while trying to get extra milk. How do you feel about being a super weaner, and what are your hopes for the future?
Conduct a simple experiment to understand how energy storage works. Use sponges to represent elephant seal pups and water to represent energy. Soak the sponges in water and then squeeze them to see how much water (energy) they can hold. Discuss how this relates to the energy storage in larger super weaners and their survival.
Elephant seal parents don’t spend much time with their young pups. The pups get a few weeks to drink milk from their mothers, and then they’re on their own, learning how to swim, fish, and survive in the wild. However, some pups gain an extra advantage before they set off.
Meet the “super weaners.” These exceptionally large males specialize in stealing milk. They wait for their mothers to leave the colony and then look for another female to get milk from. This involves sneaking in next to smaller pups and pushing them out of the way to access the food. Sometimes, they steal milk from several mothers, rotating who they take from.
All of these strategies are risky, as females may bite milk thieves, sometimes causing serious injuries. However, if they are successful, these super weaners end up being very large. The largest measured in one study was 227 kg, almost twice the size of the average weaned pup, which significantly increases their chances of survival during the lean months when they are learning how to fish.
Elephant – A large mammal with a trunk, known for its intelligence and social behavior. – Elephants are important to their ecosystems because they help spread seeds and create pathways in forests.
Seals – Marine mammals with flippers, known for their ability to swim and live in cold waters. – Seals can often be seen resting on icebergs or rocky shores after hunting for fish in the ocean.
Pups – Young offspring of certain animals, such as seals and dogs. – Seal pups are born on land or ice and rely on their mothers for warmth and food.
Milk – A nutritious liquid produced by mammals to feed their young. – Mother seals produce rich milk to help their pups grow quickly in the cold environment.
Super – Very large or powerful, often used to describe something exceptional in nature. – The super pod of dolphins was an amazing sight as they leaped through the water together.
Weaners – Young animals that have stopped drinking their mother’s milk and started eating solid food. – After a few weeks, seal pups become weaners and begin to learn how to hunt for fish on their own.
Survive – To continue living or existing, especially in difficult conditions. – Many animals have special adaptations that help them survive in harsh environments like the Arctic.
Fishing – The activity of catching fish for food or sport. – Sustainable fishing practices are important to ensure that fish populations remain healthy for future generations.
Energy – The ability to do work or cause change, often used by living organisms to grow and move. – Plants get their energy from the sun through a process called photosynthesis.
Nature – The natural world, including plants, animals, and landscapes. – Exploring nature helps us understand the importance of protecting our environment and the creatures that live in it.
