Elephant Seals

Male northern elephant seals fighting in California  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_seal

Above picture from Wikipedia.


Elephant Seal, so named because of the nose on the male somewhat resembles an Elephants trunk.  This is a northern elephant seal the second largest seal in the world , after the southern elephant seal.

Pups are born with a black coat which is shed in there first month, revealing a sleek  silver-gray coat.  In their first year the coat will turn silvery brown.

How could you resist eyes like that.

Once over hunted, it was estimated that there were less than 100 elephant seals by 1910.  Today the northern elephant seal population has returned to its previous size.

Probably not an alpha male.

Spending upwards of 80% of the lives in the ocean it must feel good just to relax on the beech.

While at sea elephant seal will dive to depths of 5000 feet, staying submerged for nearly one and a half hours.

So why didn't they hire these guys to fix the oil spill.

Typically a male will dive 300 to 600 feet for one hour as they search for food.

That's a nose pointed up, not a rock.

Ya, Hi!  Typical, you point a camera and they think there in Hollywood.

Not far off, we found them near San Simeon, CA

Each winter the elephant seals return to beaches in California and Mexico.  Where they spend the breeding season.  First the males arrive and establish dominance.  Dominant males inflate their noses and produce a noise like a drum to warn lesser males away. 

Females arrive and give birth to pups they have been carrying since last year.

Pups weigh upwards of 75 pounds and are about four feet long.

Females weigh in at a petite 1500 pounds all packed into about 10 feet. 

Now here is a manly man.  Males weigh up to 4500 pounds and grow to 13 plus feet in length.

I never thought to measure the waste dimension.