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Follow the Elephant
Seals
by Brian Caserio
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Website Operator Status:
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History:
 A funny thing happened one morning back in
1990 near the Piedras Blancas lighthouse and things haven't been the same there since. A
marine biologist awoke, ready to continue his work with sea otters, only to find 19 young
elephant seals hauled out on the tiny beach where the biologists used to launch their
skiffs. These young rogues, like the misfits on the Mayflower, had abandoned their former
colony and landed here to set about creating a new one.
Whether that was their intention or not, they wasted little time in
going about their business - spreading the word throughout the elephant seal aquaworld
that here was a new frontier ripe for the taking. As soon as 1992 the first pup was born
to the new colony and the race was on. This quickly became the fastest growing elephant
seal colony ever recorded. As the population expanded the seals spread onto nearby beaches
to the south and now, during the breeding season they reach clear to San Simeon Point,
about a four-mile stretch. The total number of seals who call Piedras Blancas home is
estimated somewhere between 7 and 10 thousand and just this past winter there were 1900
pups born.
This has been good news because, like most marine mammals, elephant
seals were hunted to the brink of extinction during the 1800s. Their rendered blubber
produced some of the highest quality oil in the world, second in quality only to the sperm
whale. But lo and behold an expedition from the Smithsonian found a hundred or so on
Guadalupe Island off Mexico in the early 1900s (and promptly killed 6 of them for science)
and Mexico was the first to quickly pass laws protecting them. The population recovered
very slowly until the 1970s when they finally started taking off. They were never listed
as either threatened or endangered by the time the endangered species act passed in 1972.
Schedule:
It's impossible to know the exact number of seals at San Simeon
because they're never here all at the same time, not even for family holidays. They have
developed a unique migration schedule that makes for efficient use of the beach. One that
you might want to learn if you're planning to stop by and see the giant beach sausages.
The beach is occupied by varying numbers of animals, of different ages and sexes,
depending upon the time of year. In a fully functional breeding colony like Piedras
Blancas there are seals hauled out year-round but to pick a starting point we'll use early
December, the start of the breeding season. Throughout the month the large bulls arrive to
stake-out and defend prime beach real estate in anticipation of the females, who begin
arriving late in the month and continue coming throughout January. A large male will hope
to have his own pack of up to fifty females and bloody fights erupt in an attempt to
obtain and defend the unimpressed women. By the end of January most of the females are
here and have each had one pup, birthing right on the beach. This is the peak breeding
population time and the most amazing time to view the seals. But be forewarned though,
it's not a zoo. The seals will bear their entire life cycle before your eyes, for better
and for worse, happy times and sad.
Throughout February and into march, after only four weeks of
nursing, the females begin weaning their pups by abruptly taking off again on their
migration to feed thousands of miles to the north and west. When the last females are
finally gone, having no further reason to stay of course, the big bulls migrate north as
well. Late march is pretty much the sole domain of the newly weaned pups, each of which
will stay nearby, learning to swim, hold their breath, dive, and sleep some more for two
and a half months after their moms leave. They can be endlessly entertaining during this
phase. Most pups will be gone by late April.
 April also marks the slow
beginning of the long molting season. Each seal will return and haul out for about a
month, sleeping a lot, and rapidly molting their entire fur coat. People often mistakenly
believe the seals have some sort of dreadful disease at this time of year as their fur
peels off by the handful. Although there is a nuclear power plant several miles downwind
rest assured the seals are perfectly fine. During the molt tempers between the seals are
cooled off compared to the breeding season and the seals often happily lay on top of one
another in huge piles of stacked blubber.
The season begins with the arrival of young immature males and
females, the rough and tumble teenagers of the colony. The females prefer to sleep on the
beach all day while the males can often be spotted sparing with each other in the
shoreline. By late May and June the mature females come back again, crossing paths with
the large numbers of juveniles. This is the peak molting time with the greatest number of
animals of the year hauled out on the beach. This is particularly true at a colony like
Piedras Blancas since it's so new there is a high percentage of immature animals in the
population.
The mature females are not too keen on hanging out with the giant
ill-mannered bulls so they take off by the time the big males return to molt in July and
August. By July the number of seals around declines rapidly because there are
significantly fewer mature males in the colony than females and immature animals, but
seeing the giant bulls, which can weigh over 6000 pounds, is always a thrill. Most of the
big males are a good seven years old or more so if you do the math it's interesting to
note that most of these big guys were not born at this colony. In general the seals will
return to breed and molt on the very beaches where they were born, kind of like super
sized salmon. But these guys, along with many females too, immigrated from elsewhere,
usually San Miguel Island off Point Conception (the largest elephant seal colony) or Año
Nuevo Island near Santa Cruz. Perhaps because those colonies are very crowded. Between the
end of August and the end of November there are no mature seals around at all but there
are often many large groups of immature animals. However, the population at this time is
at it's lowest of the year. As these animals mature their haulout schedule will be pushed
later and later in the year until they eventually take up their rightful positions in the
breeding population.
Fun Facts:
Many people are shocked to find out that the seals don't eat a
thing while they're at their haul-out colonies. For a large alpha bull during the mating
season that means going for three months with out food. They can lose up to a third of
their body weight while hauled out. That's not the only amazing thing the elephant seal
can do. They migrate further than any other mammal in the world. Each seal is here twice a
year and while they're gone mature males will swim as far north as the Aleutian Islands
and mature females can venture north and west ending up further out than the Hawaiian
Islands, and that's twice a year don't forget.
While they're gone they eat mostly squid and to do so they spend
95% of their time underwater. Big males can dive over a mile deep and stay under for up to
two hours, both records for mammals. Elephant Seals are also the largest pinnipeds (seal
or sea lions) in the world, even bigger than the walrus.
All this and we still know relatively little about the elephant
seal. They are rarely seen outside of their haulout areas, for obvious reasons. We are
fortunate to be able to witness this amazing animal right here on the Central Coast. The
new colony at Piedras Blancas is one of only a very few mainland
haulouts, as they prefer
the isolation of offshore islands. And it's certainly the only one so near to
civilization, in places being less than a stone's throw from Highway One.
 This close proximity has created new challenges with
interaction between people and elephant seals. The local community has embraced these new
and old residents and is proud to share this unique experience with respectful visitors
from all over the world. If you visit please remember these are wild animals with no fear
of humans. For your own safety and to ensure the seals will willingly continue their
amazing journeys to Point Piedras Blancas in the future, and to continue to block the
biologists from launching their skiffs, please do not approach or harass an elephant seal
in any way. It is illegal to do so and they will defend themselves. Just remember they
have large canine teeth and weigh more than your car.
To enhance your experience, from 10AM on daily, docents are in
place at the main viewing parking lot about a mile south of the lighthouse. This is a
community based volunteer organization called "Friends of the Elephant Seal".
The docents are loaded with volumes of information about the seals and other topics and
are available to answer any questions you might have. They're there for you as well as the
seals so if you want to know why the seals throw sand on their backs don't be shy. Just
look for their blue jackets. For more information you can stop by the "Friends of the
Elephant Seal" office located in the Cavalier Plaza along the hotels in San Simeon,
or give them a call at 924-1628.
Photography & Graphics: ©
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