Elephant seals are massive animals. There's a lot of surface area on which to plant a transmitter. I wonder why the researcher chose the head of all places as the best place to afix this one. Seems inconvenient to me, but what do I know? My transmitter was firmly planted on my rump years ago and it hasn't hindered me much at all.
Unless, of course, as Rasmus pointed out, the transmitter also functions as a mind control device. I can only imagine the power one would wield with a swarm (pod, herd, school, gaggle...) of elephant seals under one's control...
As a side note, how did the photographer manage to get both mommy and baby to look at the camera? I can't get my own kids to cooperate like that, and they don't weigh enough to smother me! Regardless, that transmitter makes this otherwise touching picture look eerie and incongruous.
Thanks for the link, Rasmus.
Photo source: Deep Sea News
Apr 23, 2007
Transmitter
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9 comments:
It's a fun party hat! Besides, a lampshade would come off in the water.
That's a good point about the lampshade...
I think its because thats the only place she couldn't bite it off. A charming accessory!
Also possibly the least likely area on the seal that the transmitter would be damaged. Most critters don't go banging head-first into hard objects.
This would be keen if it worked like a blinky light on a police car, with a revolving red light. Talk about the ultimate party accessory!
Cyborg Pinniped DESTROYER. ;)
Cyborg Seal Knows wut ur thinkn!
you know, even as weanlings, these aren't really attractive animals. At least the bebehs are cuter than the adults.
If you look closely, you can see "North Central Positronics" stamped on the side of the transmitter...
--TwoDragons
Shardik joins with the Portal of the...Elephant Seal!
Denita got it.
I used to work for US Fish & Wildlife Service. I watched them put trackers on ducks, turtles, and other animals at a cost of around $400 to $1200 each depending on what factors theyt are monitoring, such as depth satellite positioning, mortality(sends a signal out on death or becomeing unattatched). They are attached on the head because it is the only place that it cannot be removed by the seal. You cannot attach it by a collar on a seal because the seals neck is the same diameter as its head. It cannot also interfear in any way with normal activities of the animal in any way. This is stated in the Permit that the biologist has to get from a US Fish and Wildlife Service review board that has to approve any wildlife study wether it is a State study or Federal study.
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