1. The Elephant Seal Mirounga anustirostris

2. Pinniped pinna = feather or wing pedis = foot Fin footed marine mammal Four limbs modified as flippers Streamlined body

3. California Pinnipeds Eared Seals –External ear flaps –Fur seals and sea lions –Hind flipper turns forward Move about on land quickly Sea lions = circus seals True Seals –Harbor seals & elephant seals –Lack external ears –Clumsy on land

4. Elephant Seal Largest pinniped –Males 14-16 ft long, 3,000-5,000 lbs –Females 9-12 ft & 900-1000 lbs Northern elephant seal ranges from Baja, CA to Vancouver Island Diet of squid, small shark & fish Sexual dimorphism

6. Annual Cycle Bulls arrive in Dec – stake out territory Only 6% of males will get lucky ( a harem) Pregnant females begin to arrive in late Dec & Jan Females will give birth to pup within 3 days after arriving on beach Pups nurse for about a month –Will quadruple weight –Moms milk is 55% fat

7. Northern Elephant Seal Life Cycle Females nurse young for about a month Babies wean – “weaners” Moms come into estrus Mate before leaving Females fast while on beach

8. Weaners live together for about 2 months Learn to swim and leave the beach Mar-May  spring molt Jun – Aug  Summer molt

9. Piedras Blancas Rookery Less than 25 seals on beach in 1990 First birth in 1992 50 pups born in 1993 By 1996 >1000 pups born –Population explosion!

12. Directions Hwy 1 North, about 42 miles north of Cuesta College Left turn out – you will see pine fencing If you go past the lighthouse – you’ve gone too far Park at the north end of the parking lot