A seal was born near “Vernadskyi” for the first time this year: they are looking for a name for it
A seal was born near “Vernadsky” for the first time this year
Oleksandr Matsibura, NASC
A Weddell seal was born for the first time this year near the Akademik Vernadskyi station. The newborn boy was born on Winter Island, which is located opposite Galindez Island.
The pregnant female has been in Winter since about September 1, told polar explorers
“We monitored her condition every day: we walked or looked with the help of a drone. On the morning of September 17, they saw from a drone that she was already with a child, and immediately went to them.” – said the biologist of the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition Svetozar Davydenko.
Scientists took a sample of a pregnant woman’s placenta for analysis to study the content of persistent organic pollutants, as well as to conduct other studies.
In addition, every year scientists monitor the “reproductive success” of Weddell seals. It depends on whether there is sea ice – cubs are born in it or on shores with a convenient descent into the water.
Polar scientists are already looking for a name for a newborn boy, and in the comments under the post they are invited to offer their option. This can be done until 23:59 on September 22. After that, experts will choose the best among them. The author of the best proposal will receive a gift – a chevron from the 29th UAE.
Therefore, users of social networks have already managed to suggest such names as Vernie, Fluffy, Luka, Winter. Some also suggested calling the seal a Ukrainian name. For example, Mykola, Lavrin, Levko.
“In the first days, babies usually weigh 25-30 kilograms and grow very quickly on nutritious mother’s milk – its fat content is 54%. By the end of feeding, which lasts about 3 months, their weight can reach 90 kilograms. And adult Weddell seals weigh 400.
The pregnancy of these animals lasts 10 months, and they can become pregnant already a few months after giving birth. So “weddell cubs” are mostly born at the beginning of the Antarctic spring. Each female brings one cub.” – told the National Antarctic Science Center.
We used to toldthat polar explorers created an encyclopedia about the Antarctic in Ukrainian. It can be downloaded for free.
