Talk:The Maternal Combustion/@comment-251103-20150502075214/@comment-3125805-20150611204347

elephant seals are one of those species where a relatively small number of dominant males corner 90% of the females into harems for their own exclusive use. The dominant males use violence and intimidation to chase lesser males off the mating beaches, and in any case the  females are hardwired to ignore the lesser males and to want to be part of a harem.

so I guess the less favoured males get together in groups and talk about comic books and superhero films and scifi and fantasy movies... and every so often get lucky with any stray females who haven't got the programme yet.

I also remember from watching Attenborough go on about breachmaster seals that the females in a harem do tend to co-raise each other's cubs, as they've all been fathered by the same dominant male and are siblings.