Elephant Seals on Macquarie Island – Massive!

Macquarie Island is an Australian territory located approximately halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica, and is a World Heritage Site.

There’s not much happening there – basically, there is a research station of the Australian Antarctic Division, and Macquarie Island is home to lots of flora and fauna such as penguins, other birds and Elephant Seals.  You pretty much have to be working at the station to visit Macquarie Island.

My uncle was lucky enough to hitch a ride to Macquarie Island almost 30 years ago as part of a research project.  Note, he went during the summer months, and he managed to strike a pose near a massive Elephant Seal.  Some of the males can reach 5000 kg (11000 lb), and would most likely squash you into a pancake if you decided to piss them off.

Check out this photo that was taken in the early 1980′s – this is my uncle standing near-ish to an enormous Elephant Seal.

Note, my uncle is about 6ft (or 180 cm) tall and the Elephant Seal completely dwarfs him!

You can read more at Subantarctic Macquarie Island: Environment and Biology (Studies in Polar Research).

If you really like seals, check out 100,000 of them at Cape Cross in Namibia, which collectively is the second largest collection of seal urine and poo in the world.

Other things to do in Australia – visit The Saint or send in a shonky application for Best Job In The World.

More Elephant Seals and Macquarie Island Stuff

Check out more at Subantarctic Wilderness: Macquarie Island and Seals and Sea Lions: An Affectionate Portrait.