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February 23, 2006

Northern Elephant Seals: Keeping Cool

Young Elephant Seal Bull Covers Himself With Sand Año Nuevo State Reserve

When you've got six inches of blubber and a waterproof fur coat, you might imagine that sitting out on the beach for weeks without water might be a bit uncomfortable. and you'd be right.

But the Northern Elephant Seal does just that. Twice a year, they return to the beaches on which they were born, staying for one to three months on land, without water or food. They have several special adaptations that help them cope and keep their cool - literally.

If you watch the seals, you'll often see them flipping sand onto their backs. Seal researchers believe that this helps protect the elephant seal's skin from the sun and keeps them cool.

Bull Cools Off In Tidepool Año Nuevo State Reserve

During their stint on land, you'll often see the big male elephant seals called bulls hanging out in the tidepools to keep cool. You'll also see the young weaners, or recently weaned elephant seal pups, learning to swim here as well. You're not likely to see females in the tidepools. They come ashore to birth and nurse and mate, and then promptly leave.

Bull In Tidepool Año Nuevo State Reserve

The elephant seal can hold its breath for quite a long time, the current record being 119 minutes, just one minute shy of two hours. They also have sleep apnea, meaning that when they are asleep, they often stop breathing entirely for short spans of time. This has led many people who come upon a sleeping elephant seal to believe they're looking at a dead one!

How The Elephant Seal Got Its Name Año Nuevo State Reserve

When the Northern Elephant Seal is submerged, it's easy to see where they get their name. They look just like an elephant swimming through the water. Only the sexually mature males, however, have the long nose, or proboscis.

Loser males, or adult males who have lost a battle and are therefore not going to have a harem, often hang out on nearby beaches. On these "loser beaches", the males lay around sleeping and keeping cool, biding their time until they might get in on some of the harem action themselves. You'll often see younger males lounging and fighting amongst themselves in the surf.

Cool In The Surf Año Nuevo State Reserve

Posted by sorsha at February 23, 2006 1:41 PM