Title – Elephant Seals
Date – December 2006
Location - Antarctica
Elephant Seals got their name from the small trunk the males have and that they use when fighting other males for the right to breed. During these often vicious battles between males, which can grow to 7 meters in length and weight over 2 tonnes, they rear up on their stomachs, so they stand over 3 meters tall and slam their trunk onto opponents with their full weight behind them. The outcomes determines who the ‘beach master will be, who rules this section of the beach and controls his harem of up to fifty cows, like these on the shore in Antarctica.
At Beyond The Blue we recognise that these types of demonstrations of strength are not limited to the ‘animal’ world. You can find yourself in the middle of the human versions of these confrontations in a club or bar anywhere in the world and the further away from home you are the more magnified they can seem. On our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we train those attending in conflict management and personal safety techniques to help them recognise the signs and symptoms of aggression and either to defuse the situation or when that is not possible, to remove themselves from the area of risk.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Heather Spalton
Date – December 2006
Location - Antarctica
Elephant Seals got their name from the small trunk the males have and that they use when fighting other males for the right to breed. During these often vicious battles between males, which can grow to 7 meters in length and weight over 2 tonnes, they rear up on their stomachs, so they stand over 3 meters tall and slam their trunk onto opponents with their full weight behind them. The outcomes determines who the ‘beach master will be, who rules this section of the beach and controls his harem of up to fifty cows, like these on the shore in Antarctica.
At Beyond The Blue we recognise that these types of demonstrations of strength are not limited to the ‘animal’ world. You can find yourself in the middle of the human versions of these confrontations in a club or bar anywhere in the world and the further away from home you are the more magnified they can seem. On our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we train those attending in conflict management and personal safety techniques to help them recognise the signs and symptoms of aggression and either to defuse the situation or when that is not possible, to remove themselves from the area of risk.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Heather Spalton
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