Their bodies seem to be designed more for spending 8-10 months a year in the open ocean than on land. Elephant seals, weighing up to 2000 kilograms, are not only the largest seals but among the most impressive of all marine mammals. Introduction to Southern Elephant Seals. When foraging, the dive depth of the Northern elephant seal averages 500 to 600 m (1,640 - 1,970 ft), but it is able to dive to as much as 1,500 m (4,920 ft) and stay under water for over 1 hour. Northern Elephant Seals, Gray Whales, Buffleheads, Monarch Butterflies and more all make their way to California's Central Coast each winter. northern elephant seals, including year-round tracks of some individuals, to test the hypothesis of double migration. During the breeding season, “alpha” males control female harems, while “beta” males have only opportunistic access to females, and peripheral males are completely excluded. The males are far larger than the females and so they must After being absent for more than 150 years, northern elephant seals returned to sandy pocket beaches on the south side of the Point Reyes Headlands in the early 1970s. The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) calls the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic home. Phocids tend to migrate more than otariids. Guadalupe fur seals are similar to northern fur seals in appearance but are slightly smaller and have a more elongated snout. was to: (1) determine the biannual migration paths, ultimate destinations, focal foraging areas, transit rate, and distance traveled of adult male and adult female northern elephant seals; (2) describe sex differences in foraging location, habitat utilization, and foraging be-havior; (3) compare the migratory paths of individuals Fun Facts for Kids. Males will grow up to be 16 feet long (4.87 m) and weigh in excess of 6,000 pounds (2,721 kg). MATERIALS AND METHODS We glued geographic-location, time-depth re-corders (terminology of DeLong et al., 1992) to the dorsal pelage of 65 adult northern elephant seals at San Miguel Island (34'02'N, 120'26'W) Meanwhile, males grow as long as … Males and females differ slightly in size, as males reach 6 feet and 300 pounds, while females grow to 4 feet and 100 pounds. We also examined the impact of increased locomotor costs on foraging success in this species. Adults are tan or brown in color with short, bristly fur. female northern elephant seals. The northern elephant seal population continues to increase 6% per year, with ~127,000 northern elephant seals living today (Brownell et al. The northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) can be found in the United States, with breeding grounds in California and Baja California, although during migration they range as far north as Alaska. Their maximum dive depth and duration are even more impressive (see Dive Stats table below). 580 Fig. The northern elephant seal is among this number. They regularly dive to depths of 400-800 m for 20-30 minutes at a time. Results: Body size, time spent at sea and reproductive status strongly influenced FMR. Northern elephant seals are the largest phocid pinniped (an earless seal) in the Northern Hemisphere. Northern elephant seal males face strong intra-sexual competition for access to females. Adult male Guadalupe fur seals also have a larger head and are lighter brown. Elephant seals undergo a “radical molt," unlike other mammals, Photo by Frank Schulenburg. Northern elephant seal post-molting migration. The northern elephant seal is the second largest seal in the world, after the southern elephant seal. 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