Dec 15, 2024
Elephant seals are not your small, cuddly marine mammals. They
are behemoths. Males, known as bulls, can reach 5,000 pounds, while
females, known as cows, routinely clock in at around 1,000 pounds
or so.
If you’re a wildlife watcher, now is the time to check elephant
seals off your life list. Between December and March, they come en
masse to Point Reyes National Seashore in California to give birth
and mate again. But they don’t come ashore to simply laze about and
soak up the sun when it’s shining. Males are building their harems
much like bull elk do, and that can sometimes lead to fights
between these ponderous animals.
To learn more about elephant seals, how they spend their days, and
where you can see them at Point Reyes, we’re joined today by Sarah
Codde, a marine ecologist at the national seashore.