Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

This both in terms of observing the behaviour of known individuals (by paintmarking
as I had done at Signy Island in previous years), and in managing to collect
biological material accurately timed, relative to birth. This was needed to elucidate
the reproductive process in the female elephant seal, during the period that followed
parturition. I owed an enormous amount to my firm friend Arthur, who had
overcome many difficulties to join me in the field when at all possible. I couldn’t
have collected all that material without his help.
Having returned to King Edward Point, I set about processing the material and
writing up my notes, maps, tables and graphs needed for the annual report. I had
from September made counts at Maiviken, Hestesletten and Discovery Point, and
now continued the Dartmouth Point work on a less intensive scale at Hestesletten
and Discovery Point, to obtain material extending the Dartmouth Point observations.
However, instead of being on the spot, each day’s work required making a trek along
the beaches to Grytviken, with my equipment, and then along the coast, past Horse
Head and Penguin River to Hestesletten and beyond. This might cover 5 -10 miles
and kept me very fit.
15 October was a typical day when I walked to Hestesletten and it began
snowing heavily later. I had drawn up maps of these areas and defined study areas
as on Dartmouth Point. On beach H2 there was some shingle-flipping, even in slight
snow and wind. I date-marked a cow that had just pupped (red-nose). There were 2
pups nearby, a male and a female, with cords still attached to their placentas; as no
other cows were near, I suspected that they might be twins, but couldn’t be sure. In
area 4 there were several harems, stretching inland. The bull in 4d chased a largemedium
male; bull S (red-right-face) chased the former and a bull from 4c came up to
chase him in turn, who fled. The 4c bull was yellowish in colour. This yellow bull, T,
had a 40-yard territory, and S one of 30 yards radius. I saw one pup with a dirty
white patch of natal fur, 8” x 2” extending forwards from the navel.
In area 5, bull U, which I painted red-left-proboscis, was trying to mate with a cow
in harem 5f; unsuccessful he moved to 5g and chased two large-medium bulls, one of
which took to the water. He then chased 5I bull, took over the harem, and tried to
mate with the cows. The bull from 5I chased the large-medium bull, previously chased
by bull U. A blizzard developed and I made my way home.
On 22 October, a clear sunny day, I went on ski to Hestesletten again. In area H2
almost all the cows were on the beach, sand-flipping. Some were even in the water.
The small harem in area 3 had increased slightly. Yellow bull (T) now had a large
harem and he chased 3 bachelors and the bull of 4a. The harems in area 4 didn’t
extend quite so far inland. Another pup with a small white patch on the ‘chest’ was
seen; I didn’t recall seeing others with this mark. There was much overcrowding on
the beach in area 5 and few cows were left in the tussock. Several cows were actually
in the water with their pups. Sand- and snow -flipping was very pronounced
everywhere and a few pups had sunk into holes in the snow.
For the remainder of this breeding season, when I was not accompanying the
sealers on their commercial operations, I continued to collect data from Maiviken,
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