Elephant seal pup scratches its face with its foreflipper. Note the five "fingernails" on the flipper. The pup will nurse for 27 days, when the mother stops lactating and returns to the sea. The pup will stay on the beach 12 more weeks until it becomes hungry and begins to forage for food. Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California, USA
Stock Photo: 20404 Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California, USA Other Names: elefante marino, sea elephant, sea cow Copyright © Phillip Colla, all rights reserved worldwide. Purchase a print of this image Request a review copy of this image Keywords: angustirostris, animal, animalia, california, caniformia, carnivora, carnivore, chordata, creature, elefante marino, elephant seal, endangered, endangered threatened species, juvenile pup, mammal, mammalia, marine, marine mammal, mirounga, mirounga angustirostris, monterey bay national marine sanctuary, national marine sanctuaries, nature, northern elephant seal, ocean, phocid, phocidae, piedras blancas, pinniped, pinnipedia, san simeon, sea cow, sea elephant, seal, threatened, usa, vertebrata, vertebrate, wildlife |