While all of the activity on the beach was going on with the males and females, there were also a ton of pups lying around.  Once the pups have suckled long enough, they are fat and happy and left to their own devices.  They don’t have enough strength so, for the next few weeks, they will move about the beach burning down the fat and strengthening themselves up before heading out to sea.

Meanwhile, they look very cute.  They are called weaners when they are left to their own devices.  Every image you have of a baby seal is met by the weaners.  Small, plump with huge eyes.  Just what you imagine.  In amongst them were some so-called “super-weaners”.  These “little” fellas had got a double dose of mother’s milk and they were huge.  Normally in young creatures you imagine that getting extra is good for you.  For seals, this is not so much the case.  Having all of the extra fat means they are very buoyant.  When they head out to see, they tend to bob around on the surface and that makes them easy pickings for the sharks offshore.  I guess greed isn’t good for you!