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northern and southern elephant seals compared

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13 - Comparisons, Unsolved Mysteries, and Conclusions
Bernard J. Le Boeuf, University of California, Santa Cruz
Book:

Elephant Seals

Published online:

23 September 2021

Print publication:

07 October 2021, pp 141-156
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Summary

Although we know more about the natural history of elephant seals than most other animals, some things remain a mystery. The first is that most seals die at sea; the exception is numerous young pups and some weanlings that die on the rookery. We know some causes of death at sea but much more needs to be done to solve this mystery. The second unknown is when and with whom do virgin females mate. When future researchers determine this, the next question is “How important is it?” We conclude that tracking individuals throughout their lives is vital for understanding how natural selection operates. It shows us how individuals maximize their reproductive success and that the two sexes do this in entirely different ways.