Not sure also. I seem to remember that compared to the UK's other main species - the common seal - they need to spend longer building up reserves of fat for the pupping season so that might be part of the reason (in contrast common seal pups are born in summer and take to the water straight after birth)
Lovely stuff.
I’ve always thought it a bit curious that the word for a gathering of seals is ‘rookery’.
Any idea why they pup at such an odd time of year? "Availability of sea ice" is all I find on Tinternet.
Not sure also. I seem to remember that compared to the UK's other main species - the common seal - they need to spend longer building up reserves of fat for the pupping season so that might be part of the reason (in contrast common seal pups are born in summer and take to the water straight after birth)