Weaners Swimming and Foraging in the Creeks, Tide-Pools and Ocean

The active weaners are now engaged in their all-important water skills such as swimming and foraging as they hone their skills and beach-hop up and down the central California coast.
These days, the weaners are not spending quite as much time sleeping on the beaches conserving energy. Instead, they're proving they are just about as adept in the water as their older relatives.
In the extra photos, you can see some of the antics that these busy youngsters get up to on a regular basis.

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Weaner Time

This time of year is all about weaners ( AKA weaned elephant seal pups )on the beaches of the central coast of California.

With almost all of the females departed out to sea to forage and regain the pounds lost during their birthing and mating time ashore, the weaners are now having to learn how to take care of themselves.

The weaners are not completely without adult supervision though as some watchful and protective adult males remain on the beaches until the weaners get more proficient at swimming and start beach hopping.

Newly weaned weaners, like the older elephant seals, spend a lot of time sleeping while on shore as they're conserving energy and subsisting on their blubber.

As the weaners grow restless however, they spend less and less time sleeping and more time moving around the beaches and bluffs and communicating with each other. Also, as time passes, they start honing their life-essential swimming and foraging skills.

If weaners are to survive and grow to adulthood, it's imperative that they quickly learn how to find food and protect themselves both on land and at sea.

Click here for more photos.

Click here to go to my elephant seal website.