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Northern elephant seal pup.
Elephant Rock, Point Reyes
California, USA
So called due to the large proboscis of the adult male (bull), which resembles an elephant’s trunk.
An average pup weighs about 15 kg (32 pounds) at birth and when weaned in about 4 weeks, weighs around 136 kgs (300 pounds).
An interesting fact is that the female, for the 4 weeks that she is nursing her pup, does not take any food or water. They survive by metabolizing their blubber, providing energy, nourishment, and water.
The male-female weight ratio is among the highest in mammals.
Males on an average are triple in weight when compared to females. Males can be 4-5 mts in length and weigh around 2300 kgs whereas female average around 2-4 mts and weigh around 400-800 kgs.
From the Noyo Center For Marine Science. There were different species but this came out the best.
This is an elephant seal.
Not posted to be creepy but scientific.
These adult bulls won't be so chummy next time they meet, in the fall. Then, overflowing hormones and estrus females will enter the mix. But for this month, a mostly peaceful catastrophic molt..
A late-afternoon shot of a group of elephant seals under the high bluff at the old motel on CA-1, north coast, SLO county. The green stars, from reflections of ripples in the sun-track, were a delightful surprise!
We saw the elephant seal again today, there were signs telling people to keep their distance and keep their dogs away. A couple approached the seal with three yapping dogs and the woman talking at top volume. The man had a camera with a whopping huge telephoto lense on it that he put a couple of feet from the creature's face. The woman jabbered on while her two yapping white poodles with their red wool coats on darted at the seal. The man called his jack russell off after he took his picture and his insensitive companion called her yappers to follow her. There were signs saying be quiet as well. The seal made a mistake choosing such a public beach to exfoliate on.
A male Elephant Seal's defining feature. Well, that and his huge size. Seen at the Elephant viewing area, North San Luis County. Ca.
“Every March the seals come ashore for their catastrophic molt which means that each elephant seal will stay ashore for about twenty-five to twenty-eight days in order to shed all of its fur. The fur sheds in patches with the epidermal skin attached revealing a new dark gray fur underneath ready for immediate use. Over time, this gray coat will gradually change to a shade of brown. The big males are usually darker while the adult females often sport a tan color.”
Elephant seal mothers stay with their pups about a month after birth. During that time they have to (1) keep the pups, who cannot swim, from being washed away by waves (2) keep them from being trampled by bulls fighting for control of the beach and (3) wean the pups, who must gain about 300lbs in this time, while the mother--who does not eat--loses that and much more. When the month is up the mother--who is now starving--has to set off and leave the pup to fend for itself. Elephant seal mother and pup, Piedras Blancas, California.
South Georgia two picture pano.
In the front you can see one of the juvenile's going through their molt. Molt last about 30 days.
Portrait of an extremely blubbery elephant seal pup!
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Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery - San Simeon, California.
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Sometimes Nature just doesn't behave the way we would like. Got up early, drove 30 miles only to find that the closer I got, the thicker the fog became. Piedras Blancas, CA
Elephant seals on beach south of Piedras Biancas Elephant Seal Rookery. #hipstamatic #piedrasblancas #elephantseals #coast #blackandwhitephotography
These 2 males, one perhaps a young adult, practice their moves last week in a lagoon along the Central Coast of California. Then here to molt and regrow their thin fur coat, they were not serious in their "play." They've left now to feed, but when they return in late November it will be "Game on!" and the battles real. This species exemplifies "survival of the fittest" ---only 1 % live to become alphas with a harem of females; less than 2% will ever mate.
I know I've been absent for a bit so I thought I'd share something a little different. I had a chance to see the Elephant Seals that mate this time of year. As I drew close to this female, she started arching until she formed a complete circle. I got the shot but her face was covered... so I chose this one.