Today, the northern elephant seal population has rebounded to approximately the size it was before hunting. It's estimated that there are
150,000 individuals
, with 124,000 in California waters.
Are elephant seals endangered?
Today, there are somewhere between 120,000-150,000 elephant seals — a number likely close to their historic population. They have
long since been removed from the endangered species list
, though they are still protected in the U.S. by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
How long do elephant seals live?
Females generally live for about 19 years, while males only live for about 13 years
. Females come ashore and within a few days give birth to a pup conceived in the previous breeding season.
Do elephant seals still exist?
Status. The IUCN lists both species of elephant seal as being of least concern, although they
are still threatened by entanglement
in marine debris, fishery interactions, and boat collisions.
When did elephant seals go extinct?
Elephant seals were relentlessly slaughtered, until only isolated populations remained. After being declared extinct in
1884
, a remnant population of eight animals was found on Mexico's Guadalupe Island eight years later.
Why do elephant seals have big noses?
Elephant seals aren't named for their size. Rather,
the males develop noses that kind of look like elephants' trunks
. They inflate their noses in order to scare other males away — to mate, they have to fight for dominance.
Do elephant seals eat sharks?
Elephant seals are top predators — of fish and squid. But they in turn are prey to even bigger predators:
great white sharks and orcas
. … Many seals at Piedras Blancas show the scars of their encounters with critters big enough to eat them.
Can elephant seals have twins?
Twins have never been documented
, although some mothers will foster an additional lost or stranded pup(s). During the last week of nursing, the mother comes into estrus and mates. Shortly thereafter she goes to sea, leaving her pup behind – abruptly weaning them by desertion.
Can seals have twins?
Only two sets of twins (one set each of grey seals
Do elephant seals eat penguins?
The other two species – Antarctic and sub-Antarctic fur seals, and southern elephant seals – are both found north of the pack-ice zone and breed in dense colonies on beaches. … Seals are carnivorous and, depending on species, eat fish, squid or krill. The leopard seal
will also eat penguins and other seals
.
How deep can an elephant seal dive?
Elephant seals are remarkable divers, spending up to 1.5 hours underwater and reaching depths of
more than 1700 meters
in their search for food.
What is bigger an elephant seal or a walrus?
Among the most amazing of pinnipeds are the elephant seals. … These seals are famous for being big. They are the biggest of pinnipeds –
bigger even than walruses
– there being a record of a giant male Southern elephant seal that was between 6.5 and 6.8 m long and weighed over 4000 kg (Carwardine 1995).
Where do elephant seals sleep?
Scientists have therefore wondered how these animals can sleep during their migrations from the Californian breeding colonies to feeding areas around Alaska and the mid-Pacific. Now a new study suggests they may
sleep underwater
as they slowly sink.
What are baby hooded seals called?
Hooded seal pups are called
“blue-backs”
because of the blue-gray fur on their backs. Pups are weaned off their mother's milk only three to five days after birth, the shortest weaning period of any mammal.
