Elephant seal pup scratches its face with its foreflipper, Mirounga angustirostris

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, Mirounga angustirostris, natural history stock photograph, photo id 20404Add To Light Table
Purchase A Print Of This Image How to request, purchase or license this image



More Mirounga angustirostris:

A northern elephant seal hovers underwater over a rocky bottom along the coastline of Guadalupe Island. Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico. Image #03505
Bull elephant seal exits the water to retake his position on the beach. He shows considerable scarring on his chest and proboscis from many winters fighting other males for territory and rights to a harem of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California. Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, USA. Image #15458
Northern elephant seal. Image #26690
Northern elephant seal, San Benito Islands. San Benito Islands (Islas San Benito), Baja California, Mexico. Image #00942
Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight in the surf for access for mating females that are in estrous. Such fighting among elephant seals can take place on the beach or in the water. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California, USA. Image #20369
Northern elephant seal. Image #26698
Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight for territory and harems of females. Bull elephant seals will haul out and fight from December through March, nearly fasting the entire time as they maintain their territory and harem. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California. Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, USA. Image #15394
Northern elephant seal, San Benito Islands. San Benito Islands (Islas San Benito), Baja California, Mexico. Image #02161
A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California. Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, USA. Image #20388
Northern elephant seal, mother and neonate pup, gulls eating placenta. Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California, USA. Image #00945

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

Categories:
[3.224.127.143] : 144 image views

Updated: October 22, 2020

   photos@oceanlight.com  +1-760-707-7153