northern elephant seal facts
In 1978, 872 were born there. The males head off first to the mating grounds where they will battle each other before the females start to arrive. The pups will remain on the shore for two weeks living off of fat reserves. Northern elephant seals are found in the North Pacific, from Baja California, Mexico to the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands. They include squid, fish, octopus, and even small sharks. They are very large and the males have what is similar to an elephant’s trunk on their face yet it is very short. In both sexes, the body is long and robust, and the neck very thick. Northern elephant seals are the largest of the “true”, or “earless”, seals in all of the Northern Hemisphere. More than half off all the males in a given group will never mate. Northern elephant seals are found in the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of Alaska down to Baja California. Males feed near the eastern Aleutian Islands and in the Gulf of Alaska, and females feed further south, in the offshore waters of Washington and Oregon. The have a large range in the Pacific Ocean and can be seen from Alaska to Mexico. Elephant seal inhabits warm coastal waters … Northern elephant seal facts! Tools. remain on rookery beaches, venturing into the water for short periods of time, perfecting their swimming and feeding abilities. They are shorter too at only 12 feet. Males journey north to the Aleutian Islands and the Gulf of Alaska, whereas females travel further west to the open ocean. The males are very large with a weight of up to 5,000 pounds. The population bottleneck that occurred during this time is of concern because genetic variation is reduced, creating the possibility for the population to be vulnerable to disease or reproductive failure. At this time females will mate with one or more of the dominant males and then return to sea. Meet the northern elephant seal Like all true seals (phocids), the elephant seal lacks external ear flaps and crawls on land with rhythmic belly flops. Males journey north to the Aleutian Islands and the Gulf of Alaska, whereas females travel further west to the open ocean. In both sexes, the body is long and robust, and the neck very thick. Mature adult males have an unmistakable large and fleshy appendage on their snout called a proboscis. The population is renowned for its remarkable growth during the 20th century, following virtual annihilation by sealers in the 19th century. There are two species of elephant seal: northern and southern (name refers to the hemisphere where they can be found). This impressive pinniped relies upon the Channel Islands National Park as an important part of its life cycle. 4, 7. Total population size increased at a rate of 3% from 1991 to 2005. This small group managed to maintain a foothold in Mexico, despite the fact that by the end of the 1800's they were nearly hunted to extinction for their blubber. They can also reach up to 14 feet in length. At one time, however, this species was thought to have been hunted to extinction. Great white sharks and killer whales prey on northern elephant seals. Northern elephant seals are not presently endangered. Its population is thought to be stable. A few animals were then discovered in 1892 which were captured and killed for scientific study. The Portal of Life on Earth, Biodiversity, Animal Facts, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. The deepest dive recorded was over a mile. These animals spend only 10% of their time on land, returning to reproduce and molt. They tend to eat much more as summer approaches to build up their fat reserves. 3, Reproduction They are also wide and very dark which works to their advantage when it comes time to find their prey. Northern Elephant Seal Facts Most notably, the enormous Northern Elephant Seal represents one of only two species of elephant seal. While on land, northern elephant seals prefer sandy, rocky, or muddy coastline, particularly on offshore islands. Northern elephant seals spend 90% of their lives in the water in order to feed. Northern elephant seals can be found in the North Pacific Ocean, in areas such as California and Alaska. In both sexes, the U.S. and Mexico are derived from a few were... Right to mate with one or more of the current population is renowned for its remarkable growth during the century... Light intensity, and the Gulf of Alaska down to Baja California these very with... Which record water temperature, light intensity, and jawless fishes D-W.V. beaches on offshore Islands the... 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