Almost all of the favored elephant seal beaches are so packed with the big adult female elephant seals that it's hard to spot any sand. Most of these pregnant female seals have finished molting for this season but are still resting up on the beaches before heading back out to sea to feed.
There are still a few juveniles also hanging around, but all this year's weaners have finally left on their first BIG foraging voyage.
The next group to come in mass to molt will be the sub-adult males. With so many adult females still enjoying our coast, beach space will be at a premium as the guys start to come ashore in larger numbers. In fact, one can already see and hear a few of these young males both in the water and on land.
Click here for more photos. ( Because we've had so many unusually calm days, many of the photos show the elephant seals doing their thing under water for a change. )
Click here for video of females relaxing in the tidal surges.
Click here for video of young male having a relaxing time in a bay.
Click here to see video of young males trying to make decisions.
Hi
ReplyDeleteWe met your husband last winter, he kayaked by and came aboard for tea, it was a fine hour. Interesting photos. Do you often see seals with those sad plastic necklaces? It is such an illustrative way of showing the horror of marine plastic pollution.
Kind regards, Nina and Henrik on Bika, Norwegian sailboat
Hi Nina and Henrik, How's your sailing coming along ? Where are you guys now ?
ReplyDeleteRe. The elephant seals with nooses around their necks....you see a few females every year with these...but never the males ! Denise