Southern elephant seal found with pup on the coast of Jaguaruna

An unusual scene caught the attention of those passing by the coast of Jaguaruna this morning. A southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) was found with its pup. The sound emitted by the little one resembled a cry, but it actually revealed that it was born recently and was waiting for its food.

The occurrence mobilized, on the morning of Saturday, the 26th, the team from the Beach Monitoring Project of the Pelotas Basin (PMP-BP) and the Zoology Museum of the University of Southern Santa Catarina (Unesc), responsible for monitoring the section that integrates Sector B of the project.

According to the coordinator of Sector B of the PMP-BP and the Zoology Museum of Unesc, Morgana Gaidzinski, the team was alerted around 8 a.m. Shortly after receiving the information, the professionals moved to the location and were supported by the Jaguaruna Volunteer Firefighters, who remained in the area to prevent the approach of the public until the specialists arrived.

The area was cordoned off, and the animals will be monitored daily for at least three weeks. This period is important to track the development of the pup, which will remain on land with its mother during the nursing phase.

The milk produced by the southern elephant seal is extremely rich in fat, allowing the pup to gain weight rapidly. For approximately three weeks, the female stays on land, practically without feeding, using her own fat reserves to produce milk and nurse the pup.

Rare occurrence

The presence of a female with a pup on the Santa Catarina coast is considered a rare occurrence, as the region is not a breeding area for the species.

“This is a rare occurrence because our coast is not a breeding area. But we had another case two years ago in Garopaba,” explains Morgana.

In light of the presence of the animals, the team emphasizes the importance of the public not approaching the area. The recommendation is to avoid crowds, maintain distance, and respect the isolation established by the professionals.

“It is important for the public to avoid going to the location to prevent crowds. Approaching can stress the female and cause her to abandon the pup,” warns the coordinator.

Monitoring on the coast

Unesc began monitoring the beaches in the stretch between Balneário Rincão and Jaguaruna, in Santa Catarina, in November 2025. The area is part of Sector B of the PMP-BP and covers nearly 58 kilometers of beaches.

The work is carried out by the team of the Beach Monitoring Project of the Pelotas Basin, which monitors the marine fauna found along the coast, contributing to the identification, assessment, and monitoring of the animals and to guiding the public in the face of occurrences like this one.

The implementation of the PMP-BP is a requirement of the federal environmental licensing, conducted by Ibama, for the research activities and geological data acquisition carried out by TGS in the Pelotas Basin. If you encounter a live or dead animal, the contact number is (58) 48183-8663.