Unlike other animal species where males compete for a female's attention, fur seal females choose their mate.
While males prefer to stay put and wait to be chosen, females are more selective and prepared to travel to find an ideal, genetically diverse partner to father their pups.
"Many mammals have mating systems that were traditionally viewed as being dominated by males fighting each other for the right to mate with passive females," said Dr Joe Hoffman of the University of Cambridge.
In Antarctica, Dr. Joe Hoffman and other Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) found a different behavior in the mating system of animals. Instead of traditional males competing for a single female, in Antarctica, the females choose the best male. And this behavior can be seen in other animal species also with further observation.
To avoid inbreeding with the less adventurous males, female seals would travel up to 35 metres (yards) to find a fitter mate to give the next generation the best chance of surviving.
The scientists believe the females size up the potential mates by analyzing their physique, behavior and smell. They also say that this behavior might impact the genetic diversity of fur seal populations and also might have been the reason that they survived from near extinction some 100 years ago.
Female Seals know what they want in a Mate
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