Male harbour seals may learn vocalisations years before they need them

Male harbour seal pups could be taught the complicated vocalisations they use to woo females years beforehand.

Social mammals like people and bare mole rats be taught calls and sounds from shut contact with different members of their species. Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) spend their lives alone aside from a couple of weeks of puppyhood. “They’re raised solely by their moms for a few weeks, after which they get nourished and swim off,” says Diandra Düngen on the Max …