Maternal care
A female fur seal gives birth after a nearly year-long pregnancy, typically to a single pup, from which she doesn’t stray at all during the first few days. Since the pup initially cannot swim, lacks blubber, and its fur is not waterproof, it would quickly get cold in the water, so the mother stays on land with her offspring and fasts.
Once the pup gains some strength, the female begins taking hunting trips to the sea—short at first, but gradually longer, sometimes lasting over a week. The young fur seals remain on the shore with other pups in nurseries, spending much of their time playing. Through these scuffles, they learn proper social behaviour and improve their overall fitness.
When the mother returns from the sea, she calls to her pup, and it answers back. They recognize each other by voice and scent, even among hundreds or thousands of other fur seals. The bond between mother and pup remains strong even as the pup starts taking independent trips to the sea and learns to hunt. The female will stop nursing her pup when it’s approximately ten months old.
CZECH: Mateřsá péče
ZOOPRAHA.CZ
Contacts
- The Prague zoological garden
U Trojskeho zamku 120/3
171 00 Praha 7
Phone.: (+420) 296 112 230 (public relations department)
e-mail: zoopraha@zoopraha.cz
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