Jackson the Elephant Seal

Photo By: Wildlife Conservation Society

The Wildlife Conservation Society tracked a southern elephant seal for an astonishing 18,000 miles – the equivalent of New York to Sydney and back again. WCS tracked the male seal from December, 2010, to November, 2011. The animal – nicknamed Jackson – was tagged on the beach in Admiralty Sound in Tierra del Fuego in southern Chile. WCS conservationists fitted Jackson with a small satellite transmitter that recorded his exact location when he surfaced to breathe. Jackson swam 1,000 miles north, 400 miles west, and 100 miles south from the original tagging location, meandering through fjords and venturing past the continental shelf as he foraged for fish and squid.

Elephant seals, which reach weights of up to 7,500 pounds and lengths of 20 feet, are potential indicators of the health of marine ecosystems and may show how climate change influences the distribution of prey species that serve as the basis of Patagonia’s rich marine ecosystem. To protect this vast region, conservationists need to know how wildlife uses it throughout the year.

> Related: Patagonia as You've Never Seen it Before (Photos)

COMMENTS ()