21-MAR-2010
Ano Nuevo Island and seals
Mainly weaners (weaned pups),
with single adult female seal basking on the beach
Ano Nuevo Island in the background
21-MAR-2010
fat pup sleeping in the spring sunshine
barrel shaped pups are abandoned by
the adult females and eventually hunger
drives them to sea
21-MAR-2010
Young male
Male Elephant Seals lay claim to a section of beach
They defend this against all other males and lay claim
to any females that come ashore to pup.
Towards the end of the season, young males can
sometimes claim territories, but most females
have left to feed out at sea
21-MAR-2010
Elephant Seal pup
Abandoned to live off their fat reserves
there is not a lot for a young pup
to do, until hunger drives them from the
beach to find food in the open seas
21-MAR-2010
Young Male Elephant Seal
This young male was shoveling sand over his
back, presumably to keep cool in the warm
spring sunshine
21-MAR-2010
Young Male Elephant Seal
Sleeping in the sunshine you can see the
thick blubber round this young males throat.
Adults have thick calloused blubber layers
at the throat to protect them during the
fierce battles they fight to claim territory
and a harem of females