Category

Elephant Seal

CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Photo of Elephant Seals Fighting

Another photograph of two male northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) "bulls" fighting on a central California beach. These two started their battle on the sand and eventually took it into the surf. Note how scarred their chests, necks and proboscis (noses) are, the result of years of fighting and biting…
February 22, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Photo of Elephant Seals Mating

Here is another photograph of a large male northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) forcibly mating with a much smaller female. This bull holds her down with his enormous weight and even bites her into submission. Females elephant seals, when facing such a suitor, generally squak and put up a token…
February 21, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Rough Sex

In this photograph an adult male northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) mates with a much smaller female. Note that the female is not given much choice in the matter. This is quite typical in elephant seal society, somewhat akin to human society of a few million years ago. The female's…
February 20, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Photo of Elephant Seals Fighting

Here we see two northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) "bulls" fighting on a central California beach. Male elephant seals haul out of the ocean and establish territories on the beach in December, in advance of females who arrive a few weeks later and among whom they form large harems. Throughout…
February 19, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Photo of Elephant Seal Bellowing

A photograph of a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) "bull" bellowing on a central California beach. Other elephant seals can be seen on the sand and in the surf behind him. Bulls (adult males) spend a lot of time bellowing to communicate to surrounding elephant seals, including other bulls, the…
February 18, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Photo of Bull Elephant Seal Bellowing in Fog

Another photograph of a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) "bull" bellowing on a foggy central California beach. Partially obscured by coastal morning fog, this male elephant seal rears up on its foreflippers and bellows to intimidate other males and to survey its beach territory. Winter, Central California.Image ID: 20418Species: Elephant…
February 17, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Munch

Check it out, these are two bull elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) fighting for territory and mating access to females. The bull on the right has got the upper hand, having a firm grip on the proboscis (nose) of the seal on the left. It might look funny but it is…
February 16, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Weaner

This is a "weaner", a young northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) that has been weaned (is no longer nursing milk from its mother) and is now on its own. In fact its mother has probably already left the beach and is now at far at sea foraging for food. This…
February 15, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Photo of an Elephant Seal Pup

This northern elephant seal pup (Mirounga angustirostris) looks like it has issues to work out with its mother. Elephant seal mother and pup vocalize to one another constantly, likely to reassure the pup and confirm the maternal identity on a crowded beach. Central California.Image ID: 15421Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostrisLocation:…
February 14, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Crowded Beach

Here we see part of the burgeoning Piedras Blancas colony of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) crowding the beach. In actuality this is about half of the animals that were here at the peak, a few weeks earlier. Many of the females have already weaned there pups (or lost them…
February 13, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Bull Fog

I arrived at the elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) rookery before sunrise and walked out in heavy fog, not able to even see the water. Gradually the fog burned off as the sun appeared and I could start to see some of the seals. Here is a big bull splayed out…
February 12, 2008
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Happy Valentines Day

Elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) showing extreme sexual dimorphism (difference between sexes). Male elephant seals can be 3-4 times as massive as females. Central California. Elephant seals in the surf, showing extreme dimorphism, males (5000 lb) are triple the size of females (1700 lb). Central California.Image ID: 15497Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga…
February 14, 2007
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals

We have been visiting the Piedras Blancas rookery of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) since early 1991, when it was newly colonized by animals from the San Miguel, San Nicholas and Ano Nuevo rookeries, and have watched it grow to its current size. We have had the good fortune to…
March 1, 2006