Just a week old, you can really see the pups gaining weight.
I counted 10 pups on the near beach, and was told there were
another 9 further down the beach.
One mother had not learned how to nurse yet, and another
mother had adopted an orphan. Both will be fatal for the pups.
One mother doesn't have the milk to support two pups, and
mature mothers will chase away orphaned pups.
This male had just returned from
a record-breaking 45 minute battle. He'd won, but was completely
worn out. You can see the bite marks on his neck. Below you
can see the enlarged canines that they fight with.
While the primary male was recovering,
the male below tried to sneak in and do some breeding. With
pups only days old, the females weren't interested and immediately
starting calling to the dominant male, who wasn't moving
Females will mate again the last 3-5 days of nursing, but
the egg is dormant for up to 4 months while the mother feeds
and recovers from her ordeal. Gestation is approximately 8
months.
