Elephant Seals

YOUNG MALE ELEPHANT SEALS

Sunning on the beach...

Elephant seals were heavily hunted for the oil from their blubber during the 18th and 19th centuries; their numbers were reduced to fewer than 50.  They were protected in the early 20th century; we developed kerosene and refined petroleum so they were of no commercial value.  The elephant seal population has now grown to approximately 175,000.

Males grow to as much as 5,000 pounds and 16 feet long.  

During mating season, December through February, males battle for breeding rights for up to 100 days without food or water.  During their two four month trips to sea, they dive continuously without touching land.  While average dives are 20 to 30 minutes, record dives are more than 2 hours.  

Vocalizing male...

Only males grow the proboscis (long nose) and only after they reach puberty around age 5.

FEMALES WITH BABIES

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery - elephant seals have been coming here only since 1990.  One pup was born in 1992 and more than 5,000 were born last year. 

Throughout the 6 miles of rookery there are roughly 100 alpha males.  The females arrive about mid-December forming harems around the alphas, apparently choosing the beach rather than the alpha.

Nursing pup - pups nurse for four weeks, gaining weight rapidly on milk that is 12% fat and increases to 60% fat at the end of the four week period.  Compare that to cows milk at only 4% milk fat.

Right after birth the mother vocalizes to her pup, bonding so that they can keep track of each other on the beach.  The rookery was very noisy as females vocalized to their pups and each other.

This female is flipping sand up onto her back.

Females weigh as much as 1,800 pounds and 12 feet in length.  In an average of 34 days, the females loses 40% of her weight while she births, nurses, weans her pup and breeds before returning to the sea.

The male at the edge of the sea is looking for a mate.  Later we watch as the alpha male rushes him, sending him back into the ocean.

These two females with pups in tow are vocalizing to the male.  I wonder what they are saying?  Go away?  Come on in, we like you?  Watch out for the BIG bull; he's watching you?

Sunning herself on the beach...

Another male checking out the rookery for a possible mate.  

The peak of birthing season is mid-January while we're here but breeding won't begin until mid-February.  Most of the young males are together about a mile south of the rookery.

Three mothers, three pups...

Mother and pup both looking at me!

Another pup nursing.

I took this photo so you could look for seagulls.  They congregate when a female is birthing.  Birthing takes place within a week of arrival on the beach and usually takes less than an hour.  The new pup is born either head first or tail first, weighs 70 pounds, and is 3 to 4 feet long.  After birth, the seagulls eat the placenta.

Pups are weaned at 28 days, they weigh between 250 and 350 pounds!  At 3 months old, the pups can dive deeper and stay down longer than adult sea lions and harbor seals.  At 3 1/2 months, one by one, they travel north, some as far as Alaska and do not touch land again until they return to this same rookery to molt six months later.  Amazing, AMAZING animals!