Individually stereotyped vocalizations often play an important role in relocation
of offspring in gregarious breeders. In phocids, mothers often alternate between foraging at sea and attending their pup. Pup calls are individually distinctive in various
phocid species. However, experimental evidence for maternal recognition is rare.
In this study, we recorded Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) pup vocalizations
at two whelping patches in Atka Bay, Antarctica, and explored individual vocal
variation based on eight vocal parameters. Overall, 58% of calls were correctly classified according to individual. For males (n = 12) and females (n = 9), respectively,
nine and seven individuals were correctly identified based on vocal parameters. To
investigate whether mothers respond differently to calls of familiar vs. unfamiliar
pups, we conducted playback experiments with 21 mothers. Maternal responses
did not differ between playbacks of own, familiar, and unfamiliar pup calls. We
suggest that Weddell seal pup calls may need to contain only a critical amount
of individually distinct information because mothers and pups use a combination
of sensory modalities for identification. However, it cannot be excluded that pup
developmental factors and differing environmental factors between colonies affect
pup acoustic behavior and the role of acoustic cues in the relocation process
