The five spotted, or larga, seals Phoca largha who call the Primorsky Aquarium home celebrated their tenth anniversary on March, 1. Kant, Socrates, Plato, Varia, and Dusia, who are among the oldest residents here, proudly received their congratulations and presents.
The seals came to the Aquarium together on April 8, 2015. They were slightly older than one month at the time, and their keepers designated March 1 as their official date of birth. The pups were weaned and left by their mothers. They went through a period of the postweaning fast. Igor Katin, Principal Specialist of the Marine Mammal Research Station (MMRS), explained the role of this process in the seal’s life. As it turns out, the pups gain over 40 kg during nursing. As a result, their blubber layer gets so thick that they cannot even dive for fish. That is why when the lactation stops, young spotted seals stop feeding. Their digestive system transforms, their behavior changes, and they start developing their first conditioned responses.
The keepers thoughtfully prepared comfortable sea pens at the MMRS to settle in, as well as the rooms for medical care and other needs specifically for the newcomers. The healthy balanced diets of the larga were created, considering both the physiology of the species and the individual preferences of every animal. The young seals began to acquire new skills: they had to get used to being weighed, to obey the “stay” command, and more. It should be noted that food became a positive reinforcement for them from the very beginning. While mastering a new skill, they “foraged for food”.
The spotted seals have learnt a lot for the past ten years. Now, they have deserved the right to be called real partners in scientific research. They are also true friends for the keepers. Each animal has its own individual character. Socrates is docile and very smart. Plato is diligent, and he loves when a trick works out at once. Kant is a fidget. Varia is very curious. Dusia is a picky lady, her mood is as changeable as the seaside weather. The youngest seal is a six-year-old Jupiter born at the Primorsky Aquarium. He wins the hearts with his sociability and curiosity. Just like any other team, the seals have established their own system of relationships: Plato is friends with Jupiter, Socrates pursues Varya, and Kant likes to control the situation in order to know where everyone is.
The birthday buddies happily celebrated and eagerly devoured a traditional “fish cake” made by the keepers using the animals’ favorite delicacies: chum salmon, herring, greenling, squid and shrimp.