Biology
Parent-Offspring Conflict and Weaning Strategies in Pinnipeds
Quick fact
In pinnipeds, the mother-offspring conflict over weaning can be so intense that some species wean their pups in just 4 days (like the hooded seal), while others nurse for over a year, reflecting different resolutions of the same evolutionary tug-of-war.
Why this is interesting
Every seal pup wants one more sip, but every mother seal knows the milk must end. Why do mothers and pups disagree so fundamentally?