Southern Elephant Seals

Southern Elephant Seals The Southern Elephant Seal is the largest seal in the world. Males will reach 4.5 meters (14.5 feet) and females will reach 2.8 meters (11 feet) in length. Studies of seals is just one of the vast numbers of ongoing research projects that take place continually in Antarctica under the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), supported and managed by the National Science Foundation. Other Antarctic study areas are aeronomy and astrophysics, biology and medicine, geology and geophysics, glaciology, and ocean and climate systems. Outreach, such as the Antarctic Artists and Writers program, and education programs are also supported. To learn more, visit the USAP Web site. (Date of Image: June 4, 2006)