Northern Elephant Seal

Mirounga angustirostris

They undergo a 'catastrophic molt' once a year, shedding their entire outer layer of skin and fur all at once over several weeks.

Scientific name

Mirounga angustirostris

Taxonomy

Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Carnivora › Phocidae › Mirounga

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

increasing

Biome

aquatic

Habitat

Pelagic waters of the North Pacific; sandy, gravelly, or muddy beaches of offshore islands and mainland coves for breeding and molting.

Diet

Deep-water marine prey including squid, octopuses, crabs, skates, rays, and small sharks.

Range

Eastern Pacific Ocean, California Coast, Baja California, Gulf of Alaska

Size

Males: 13-16 ft (4-5 m), up to 4,400 lbs (2,000 kg). Females: 9-10 ft (3 m), up to 1,300 lbs (600 kg).

Lifespan

14 to 19 years

Active

nocturnal

Threats

Fisheries entanglement, marine debris ingestion, ship strikes, and climate change disrupting prey distribution.

Safe to approach?

Defensive and potentially dangerous due to their immense size and powerful bite. Always maintain a safe distance of at least 100 feet (30 meters), especially during the winter breeding season when bulls are highly aggressive. If a seal reacts to your presence, back away immediately. In the event of a bite, seek emergency medical care due to the high risk of severe marine bacterial infection.

The northern elephant seal ( Mirounga angustirostris ) is one of two species of elephant seal (the other is the southern elephant seal). It is a member of the family Phocidae ("true seals"). Elephant seals derive their name from their great size and from the male's large proboscis, which is used in making extraordinarily loud roaring noises, especially during the mating competition. Sexual dimorphism in size is great: The males can grow to 14 ft (4 m) and 5,000 lb (2,300 kg),...

Photo: Bart, CC-BY, via iNaturalist

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