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Biology

Parent-Offspring Conflict and Weaning Strategies in Northern Elephant Seals

Quick fact

In northern elephant seals, pups sometimes steal milk from unrelated females after being weaned, and mothers may become aggressive toward their own pup to force weaning—illustrating the evolutionary conflict over parental investment.

Why this is interesting

Every mother elephant seal must decide when to stop nursing her pup, but her pup thinks she should never stop. Why do mothers and offspring disagree, and how does this tug-of-war resolve?