Abstract
An unusual sighting of a juvenile southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), outside its typical range, was recorded off the southern coast of Sri Lanka between 20th November and 20th December 2019. The individual, a male as confirmed by the presence of a prepuce, underwent a catastrophic moult during this 1 month period, following which no further observations were recorded and so it was assumed it returned to sea. This represents the first confirmed sighting of a southern elephant seal, and indeed a phocid, in Sri Lankan waters.
Highlights
The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) typically has a circumpolar distribution around the south pole (Bailleul et al 2007; Hindell and Mcmahon 2000) and visits the sub-Antarctic islands to breed between September–November
Long range foraging trips are typical for southern elephant seals, with vagrants occasionally observed beyond the normal dispersal range of the species (Páez-Rosas et al 2018)
The only confirmed record of a southern elephant seal within the northern Indian Ocean is limited to a specimen collected off Oman in 1989 which was identified by its skull (Johnson 1990)
Summary
The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) typically has a circumpolar distribution around the south pole (Bailleul et al 2007; Hindell and Mcmahon 2000) and visits the sub-Antarctic islands to breed between September–November. Background The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) typically has a circumpolar distribution around the south pole (Bailleul et al 2007; Hindell and Mcmahon 2000) and visits the sub-Antarctic islands to breed between September–November. Long range foraging trips are typical for southern elephant seals, with vagrants occasionally observed beyond the normal dispersal range of the species (Páez-Rosas et al 2018).
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