Southern Elephant Seals (Mirounga leonina) are the largest species of true seal - mature males grow to 5.8 metres (19 feet) long and weigh up to 4,000 kilograms (8,800 pounds), and are typically five to six times heavier than females. Pregnant females come ashore in September or October to give birth to a single pup, that is weaned in about a month, and then left behind as its mother and dominant bulls return to sea. Weaned pups, called ‘Weaners’, weigh 150-200 kilograms (330-440 pounds) and live off their body fat until hunger forces them to sea to fend for themselves. The Falkland Islands supports a small population of Southern Elephant Seals, mostly on Seal Lon Island, although these youngsters were on Carcass Island in the north-west Falklands. Two weaners were lying on the algae-covered beach at Port Pattison, near the Carcass island Settlement. One of them was calm, scratching itself with its front flipper, yawing and snorting as it breathed through one nostril. It occasionally turned to look at me with beautiful big brown eyes.