Elephant Seals Are Back on the Beaches of California

Any time day-tripping includes seeing wild animals, especially two-ton ones, I'm in. So when I heard that elephant seals were congregating on the beaches of central California, I knew I had to go.

Two of the most accessible beaches for seal-watching are at Piedras Blancas and Ano Nuevo State Reserve. The Piedras Blancas site (called a rookery) is between Big Sur and San Simeon on Highway 1 (the Pacific Coast Highway). From Monterey County, it is about a 2-hour drive southward. We decided to pack up the car, take the dog and make a day of it.

The drive down Highway 1 through Big Sur is worth it just for the views, every turn a new breathtaking vista. It is amazingly unspoiled and uninhabited, and well worth every gallon of gas.

This is because, thankfully, there are 276 miles of shoreline and 5,322 square miles of ocean protected by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. You won't see miles of condos here, hotels or T-shirt shops. There are no houses built on the edges of cliffs here. Just vista points, one after another.

Don't forget two things: your camera and your binoculars. You will regret it if you forget them. Several vista points offered views of migrating whales; we could just barely see them because yes, I forgot my binoculars.

Highway 1 makes it difficult to rush; the road is winding and the views are beautifully distracting. With many stops along the way to take in the scenery, it took us about three hours to get to the rookery just south of Point Piedras Blancas. And after so many miles of nothing but ocean views and the occasional herd of grazing cattle, it was a shock to come upon a crowded parking lot just off the highway.

From a distance, the beach looked like pictures I'd seen of chemical spills that left beaches full of dead fish. But as I got closer, I realized that these creatures were enormous. The male elephant seals can reach two and a half tons! The females are much smaller, up to about 1500 pounds (600 kg). The babies (called pups) are only about four feet long and weigh about 75 pounds (35 kg).

At first, I wondered if they were all dead; so many seemed to be just lying there. But close observation revealed the fact that there was actually a lot going on there.

The elephant seals form harems, with eight to ten females surrounding an adult male bull. The bull may have to fight off many intruders to keep his position as alpha male. The successful candidate gets the job of doing most of the breeding work, so all males will fight to be an alpha bull.

The most activity erupts when an alpha bull is challenged. If another male comes close, he will raise himself on his hindquarters, throw back his head and show off the size of his nose. (The elephant seals were so-named because of the long, bulbous nose that looks rather like an elephant's trunk. And yes, for elephant seals, size matters.) He sounds a warning to the approaching intruder that sounds a bit like the slow staccato beat of a bass drum under water.

There could be a chase; in fact, hope for a chase, because you won't believe how fast such large, blubbery animals can move, and on their bellies, no less. There could also be a fight. It might get loud and perhaps bloody, but it will rarely result in a death.

Then there are the loud, raucous screams of the pups. The pups are the scene-stealers on the beach, with their insistent screeching at their mothers for feeding.

The females contribute to the overall constant noise with what sounds like very loud, very long and deep belches. They also bark, honk, trumpet, and bellow. The moms are keeping the pups and the other females in line, and, for all we know, the males too.

This is, after all, just another kind of family reunion.

Once nearly extinct, the northern elephant seals are making a remarkable comeback. It's worth a trip to go and watch for a while, take some pictures, and enjoy the beauty of California's coast.

This particular rookery is lovingly maintained by a group called Friends of the Elephant Seals. There is information signage on the elephant seals, and a long boardwalk along the beach affording great views for humans and great protection for the seals (see photos). A lot of additional information can be found at their web site, listed in the Resource section below. Check out their site and support their cause.

And the Marine Mammal Center's web site, also listed below, has still more information on the mating, breeding, and behavior of northern elephant seals.

Another rookery, at the northern end of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, is at the Ano Nuevo State Reserve, about 30 miles north of Santa Cruz. This is the site of the largest mainland breeding colony in the world for northern elephant seals. During a breeding season (January through March), this state beach is only accessible with reservations for their guided walking tour. You can purchase your tickets and make your reservations online. See below for their web site address.

And if you can't make it to one of the rookeries, or you just want to check it out first, you can get a glimpse of the action with Ano Nuevo's SealCam. It doesn't give you any appreciation for their size, but it will give you a taste of the sights and sounds of the breeding elephant seals.