Heading out each day from the remote field camp on the sea ice, Weddell seal team researchers have been extremely busy visiting the pupping colonies throughout the study area here in Erebus Bay.  New seal puppies are tagged, and some of them are weighed.  Then all are added to the extensive database of Weddell seals in the ongoing Weddell population and mass dynamics study.

Last season was a record year for number of pups born in the population study area with 610 Weddell pups added to the database.  While it's still far too early to determine if this will be another year of higher than average pup births in the area, it's definitely off to a great start with 327 pups tagged and added to the database so far this season!

– Mary Lynn