Woods Hole, Mass. (Oct. 29, 2024) – Erebus Bay, Antarctica, is home to the southernmost population of the world's southernmost living mammal – the Weddell seal. These seals may look like couch potatoes when they are resting on the ice, but Weddell seals go to great lengths to make a living in the harshest and most rapidly changing environments. Weddell seals are exceptional divers that can reach depths of more than 900 meters (2,952 feet) with some dives lasting 96 minutes -- well beyond their aerobic threshold.
New research from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and partners sheds light on a novel dive foraging strategy, striking a fine balance when it comes to pushing their breath hold capacities and trying to maximize use of the seasonal Antarctic light.
According to the just published article in Communications Biology , the seals strategically conduct their deepest, longest, and most extreme dives earlier in the day, rather than during peak foraging times at midday.
Lead author Michelle Shero
