Page 17 - World of Animals - Issue #28 Magazine

Small and vulnerable
Despite their chilly surroundings, pups
are born with little to no protection
from the cold. They have no blubber
and a small body weight of 10kg (22lb).
This makes them extremely vulnerable
and to compensate, the mother will
stay by her pup’s side.

Binge eating
To increase in weight and put on much-
needed fat to keep warm, the little harp
seals will gorge on their mothers’ rich
milk – which contains 50 per cent fat –
for around 12 days. In this time, they will
put on around 2.3kg (5lb) a day.

Crash dieting Sitting ducks
The mother leaves after 12 When the pups are left alone,
days, when the youngsters there are a number of other
are still unable to swim or animals they must be wary of.
find food. The mortality rate Polar bears, foxes, and wolves
is high, and pups will lose will all try to take advantage of
around 50 per cent of their the pup-buffet on display. Even
body weight. They will stay orcas are able to snatch the
here for around six weeks unfortunate few sitting by the
before they enter the water. water’s edge.

Maternal
instinct
In February, when the pack
ice becomes a nursery, there
can be as many as 2,000 seals
per square kilometre. This means
the mothers need a special skill to
determine which of the newborns
is theirs! Amazingly, they are able
to identify their own pups
among the masses by
smell alone.

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