A rarely filmed underwater Weddell seal behavior is presented in this short video filmed using an unobtrusive polecam in Erebus Bay, Antarctica toward the end of the Weddell seal pupping season in the late Austral Spring. The under-ice plankton is beginning to bloom, many Weddell seal moms are still nursing their pups, and Weddell seal males are patrolling as they establish their underwater territories for the breeding season ahead. The Weddell mom with her pup in this video responds to an unwanted intruder as she effectively protects her growing young one. The underwater video was filmed by 2024 Field Team Member Abram Brown, including the underwater sound recorded on the Insta360 X4 camera during the filming. The topside footage of the same behavior was filmed by 2024 Field Team Member Sophia Rotella. More info on the Weddell Seal Population Study at WeddellSeallScience.com.
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