When you think about Elephant Seals, you probably picture them sleeping on a beach, relaxing the afternoon away. They often do just that, but not all of the time and Jackson is certain proof of that.
Jackson was tracked by the Wildlife Conservation Society, traveling nearly 29,000 kilometers (18,000 miles). To give you an idea of how far that is, it is the equivalent of a round trip from New York to Sydney, Australia.
The WCS tracked Jackson as part of its study of elephant seal migratory routes. Jackson was tagged in Admiralty Sound in Tierra del Fuego, Chile, before heading out to swim around an area 1,000 miles (1,600 km) north, 400 miles (640 km) west, and 100 miles (160 km) south from the original tagging location. With this data, they have a better idea of how elephant seals use the Patagonian Coast and its associated seas.
The WCS hopes that mapping Jackson’s travels will also help it monitor the distribution of prey species and ensure that fisheries are managed sustainably. Jackson’s satellite transmitter should work until early next year when it will eventually fall off.
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