As we have in years past, we headed over the mountains from Atascadero to the beach at Piedras Blancas to check in on the breeding population of Northern Elephant Seals there. And, sure enough, they were there, despite the cold wind and bright sunshine:
They were a pretty subdued lot this year, though; back in 2003, they showed a lot more vim and vigor, as you can see from the gallery shots:
Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) spend most of their lives at sea, building up a thick layer of blubber to help protect it from the chilly waters of the Pacific Ocean. (Interestingly, the sea otter, which also lives along the chilly California coast, uses a layer of regular subcutaneous fat, along with its highly prized fur to keep warm–no blubber for this beast!) The blubber serves not only to keep it warm, but to protect it during its annual prizefighting competition: only the biggest, fattest, and most energetic males will win the rights to breed the harem of females that ensure the survival of this species.
To find out more about this amazing animal, visit the marine mammal center’s Elephant Seal web page.