Young seals have the beach to themselves
Every day, more young seals arrive at Piedras Blancas
elephant seal beaches. They are here for the annual haul-out.
Hundreds of them sleep on the beach and spar with each
other, on the sand and in the water. You can tell a lot about them by observing
their size, nose development, scars, and identification tags and marks.
Seals or sardines? Young seals sleep peacefully on the sand. (Christine Heinrichs photo)
Which seal is which
Bigger seals are older seals, but the smallest may be
the Young of the Year, last year’s pups returning from their first migration.
Big welcome back for those that survived!
Most of the young seals are males. Although half of
pups born are male and half are female, females mature faster. Some are
pregnant by two years old, and nearly all by age four. They have already joined
the adult herd, so more males are among the juveniles on the beach now.
Males start growing that distinctive nose when they
are about five. It continues to grow throughout their lives. Compare nose size
among the young seals on the sand for relative age.
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| Two young seals show off their growing noses as they spar in the surf. (Chrisitne Heinrichs photo) |
Migratory seals
Most young seals don’t have many scars, but they may
have tags or dyed identification numbers. This is a Citizen Science
opportunity. Report any identifying marks to Friends of the Elephant Seal
docents, or go to the website to submit a report.
Reports of marked and tagged seals tells the
researchers who marked them where the seals are now. That research has revealed
how far the seals traveled, further than even the scientists imagined.
Compare the migration of juveniles and adult seals on
the maps at UC Santa Cruz’s Beltran Lab.
Seals differ in their migratory timing. Some juveniles
don’t return in the fall at all. Because they are always coming and going, every
day is different at the viewpoint. They aren’t like a flock of birds or a herd
of wildebeests. Each seal is gradually adjusting when to arrive and depart. As
they mature, they will coordinate their migrations with the rest of the adults,
and join the breeding herd in December.
San Simeon Cove Winter Guides
Friends of the Elephant Seal is recruiting volunteers for
special duty at San Simeon Cove, December through March. That’s elephant seal
breeding season. Although Piedras Blancas rookery is the main local breeding
area, subdominant bulls that are chased off those beaches often come to San
Simeon Cove to rest and recuperate from their battle wounds.
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That can be a problem, when human visitors and their
dogs come to the beach. They don’t expect to share the beach with two-ton
seals. FES’s trained Winter Guides help keep everyone safe by advising visitors
how to navigate around the seals. It’s a teachable moment for the public to
learn about the wildlife who whom we share the world.
The bull seals aren’t aggressive toward beachgoers, but
they can be dangerous. Visitors need to keep their dogs from annoying the seals,
and stay well back. Seals may challenge each other, or decide to return to the
ocean without warning to visitors strolling down the beach.
FES trains volunteers to educate the public and help
everyone enjoy visiting the beach. Join them by applying online by October 16. Questions?
Call 805-924-1628. Must be 18 or older. Commit to two four-hour shifts a month,
December through March. Must be friendly, outgoing, able to stand for three to
four hours and walk on the beach in a variety of weather conditions – and love
the seals.
“This
is a great opportunity to learn more about elephant seal behavior in a unique
environment,” FES board president Kathy Curtis said in a press release.
“Seasonal residents, weekend travelers, couples, students and full-time
employees are encouraged to apply for this short-term volunteer experience.”