~☮Rigs Rocks☮~
~Elephant Seals~
~Elephant Seals~
Elephant Seals at the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.
#RigsRocks #WestCoast #WestCoastLiving #Beach #Ocean #PacificOcean #ElephantSeals #ElephantSealRookery #PiedrasBlancas #PiedrasBlancasElephantSealRookery #SanSimeon #Proboscis #Bulls #MaleBulls #2019Photos #Water #Ocean #Sun #Spring #Seals #Sand #Flippers #Phocids #Molting #Sea #Proboscis #Bulls #Rookery #Rock
Elephant seals are marine mammals classified under the order Pinnipedia, which in Latin, means feather or fin footed. Elephant seals are considered true seals, and fall under the family Phocidae. Phocids (true seals) are characterized by having no external ear and reduced limbs. The reduction of their limbs helps them be more streamlined and move easily in the water. However, it makes navigating on land a bit difficult because they cannot turn their hind flippers forward to walk like the Otariids. In addition, the hind flipper of elephant seals have a lot of surface area, which helps propel them in the water. Elephant seals spend the majority of their time (90%) underwater in search of food, and can cover 60 miles a day when they head out to sea. When elephant seals are born, they can weigh up to 80 pounds and reach lengths up to 4 feet. Sexual dimorphism is prominently seen in elephant seals due to the fact that male elephant seals can weigh up to 10 times more than females. Also, the large proboscis, which is considered a secondary sexual characteristic, helps males assert dominance during mating season.
Elephant seals take their name from the large proboscis of the adult male (bull), which resembles an elephant's trunk. The bull's proboscis is used in producing extraordinarily loud roaring noises, especially during the mating season. More importantly, however, the nose acts as a sort of rebreather, filled with cavities designed to reabsorb moisture from their exhalations. This is important during the mating season when the seals do not leave the beach to feed, and must conserve body moisture as there is no incoming source of water. They are colossally large in comparison with other pinnipeds, with southern elephant seal bulls typically reaching a length of 5 m (16 ft) and a weight of 3,000 kg (6,600 lb), and are much larger than the adult females (cows), with some exceptionally large males reaching up to 6 m (20 ft) in length and weighing 4,000 kg (8,800 lb); cows typically measure about 3 m (10 ft) and 900 kg (2,000 lb). Northern elephant seal bulls reach a length of 4.3 to 4.8 m (14 to 16 ft) and the heaviest weigh about 2,500 kg (5,500 lb).
The northern and southern elephant seal can be distinguished by looking at various external features. On average, the southern elephant seal tends to be larger than the northern species. Adult male elephant seals belonging to the northern species tend to have a larger proboscis, and thick chest area with a red coloration compared to the southern species. Females do not have the large proboscis and can be distinguished between species by looking at their nose characteristics.Southern females tend to have a smaller, blunt nose compared to northern females. — at Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.
~Elephant Seals~
~Elephant Seals~
Elephant Seals at the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.
#RigsRocks #WestCoast #WestCoastLiving #Beach #Ocean #PacificOcean #ElephantSeals #ElephantSealRookery #PiedrasBlancas #PiedrasBlancasElephantSealRookery #SanSimeon #Proboscis #Bulls #MaleBulls #2019Photos #Water #Ocean #Sun #Spring #Seals #Sand #Flippers #Phocids #Molting #Sea #Proboscis #Bulls #Rookery #Rock
Elephant seals are marine mammals classified under the order Pinnipedia, which in Latin, means feather or fin footed. Elephant seals are considered true seals, and fall under the family Phocidae. Phocids (true seals) are characterized by having no external ear and reduced limbs. The reduction of their limbs helps them be more streamlined and move easily in the water. However, it makes navigating on land a bit difficult because they cannot turn their hind flippers forward to walk like the Otariids. In addition, the hind flipper of elephant seals have a lot of surface area, which helps propel them in the water. Elephant seals spend the majority of their time (90%) underwater in search of food, and can cover 60 miles a day when they head out to sea. When elephant seals are born, they can weigh up to 80 pounds and reach lengths up to 4 feet. Sexual dimorphism is prominently seen in elephant seals due to the fact that male elephant seals can weigh up to 10 times more than females. Also, the large proboscis, which is considered a secondary sexual characteristic, helps males assert dominance during mating season.
Elephant seals take their name from the large proboscis of the adult male (bull), which resembles an elephant's trunk. The bull's proboscis is used in producing extraordinarily loud roaring noises, especially during the mating season. More importantly, however, the nose acts as a sort of rebreather, filled with cavities designed to reabsorb moisture from their exhalations. This is important during the mating season when the seals do not leave the beach to feed, and must conserve body moisture as there is no incoming source of water. They are colossally large in comparison with other pinnipeds, with southern elephant seal bulls typically reaching a length of 5 m (16 ft) and a weight of 3,000 kg (6,600 lb), and are much larger than the adult females (cows), with some exceptionally large males reaching up to 6 m (20 ft) in length and weighing 4,000 kg (8,800 lb); cows typically measure about 3 m (10 ft) and 900 kg (2,000 lb). Northern elephant seal bulls reach a length of 4.3 to 4.8 m (14 to 16 ft) and the heaviest weigh about 2,500 kg (5,500 lb).
The northern and southern elephant seal can be distinguished by looking at various external features. On average, the southern elephant seal tends to be larger than the northern species. Adult male elephant seals belonging to the northern species tend to have a larger proboscis, and thick chest area with a red coloration compared to the southern species. Females do not have the large proboscis and can be distinguished between species by looking at their nose characteristics.Southern females tend to have a smaller, blunt nose compared to northern females. — at Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.