where's my mom?

A Northern Fur Seal pup on St George Island. Pups fend for themselves while their mothers hunt to replenish body fat, enabling nursing. Studies of pups have shown that fat reserves on pups from the Pribilofs are significantly less than on pups from rookeries closer to food sources. Pups from Bogoslof are significantly larger than pups from the Pribilofs by the time they are weaned and go to sea. Bottom trawling near the Pribilofs by commercial fishing companies is thought to be a significant factor in the smaller size and reduced survival rate of the Pribilof pups.

Image MMFS1225