Species
Southern Elephant Seal
Regional Nesting Sites: With exception of Valdes Peninsula (the only continental breeding colony), Malvinas Islands and Gough Island (Tristan da Cunha) in the South Atlantic, Southern elephant seals are found on subantarctic islands: South Georgia (more than half of the entire species), South Shetland, South Orkney and Bouvet Islands (South Atlantic); Crozet, Prince Edward and Kerguelen (Southern Indian Ocean), and Macquarie Islands (Southwest Pacific).
Diet: Squid and pelagic fish. They can dive uninterruptedly, staying under water between 20 and 30 minutes and reaching maximum depths of up to 1,500 m.
World breeding population: Estimated at 600,000-700,000. South Georgia (most important aggregation), approximately 350,000 individuals. Valdes Peninsula, estimated at 50,000 individuals.
Conservation Status: Least concern (IUCN, 2008).
Main threats: There have been significant population decreases in several aggregations due to unknown causes. There is some concern over the potential impact of climate change on the availability and distribution of prey.
