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I am so excited! This is the season when Monk Seals have their babies! Some mothers give birth every year, and some every other year. Aegean seals give birth later than Mediterranean monk seals. Seals are mammals, so the babies are born live and suckled by their mothers. The mothers give birth in caves and stay with their pups for four months. For the first few days, the mother never leaves her pup's side. Gradually, she leaves the pup alone for longer and longer periods of time so that it gets used to being alone. For the first few months, the pup only drinks milk and never leaves the cave without its mother. The pup will try to join its mother when she goes out hunting, but the mother will send her pup back to the cave. (I was a very naughty pup and my mother constantly told me off!). As the pup gains weight and changes its fur, it begins to head out by itself to explore the area beyond the cave. Seal pups love to play in the water. When night falls, it anxiously awaits the return of its mother. Once it has suckled, the mother and baby go for a night swim.
When the pup is four months old, the mother will teach it how to hunt. Having been 70cm long at birth, the pup has now doubled in length and weighs 100kg! Soon, the pup is able to fend for itself like the other adults. However, it never strays far from its mother. When it is a year old, the young seal will play with his or her new siblings and will even try to suckle! But the mother seal won't allow that! Female seals have their first babies when they are 4-5 years old. Until then, they have to eat well, stay strong and stay well clear of danger. I hope that a lot of seal pups will be born this autumn. We need a lot of tender loving care in this season.
Sleepyhead
