Northern Elephant Seal

Mirounga angustirostris

The northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) is the largest pinniped in the Northern Hemisphere. Adult males reach 4-5 meters in length and weigh up to 2,300 kg, sporting the species' characteristic large, inflatable proboscis (nose) used to produce loud roaring vocalizations during breeding season. Females are significantly smaller at 2.5-3 meters and 400-900 kg. They have a dark grey to brown coloration with thick blubber for insulation. They breed and molt on beaches along the Pacific coast of North America from Baja California to Alaska, but spend the majority of their lives at sea, diving to extraordinary depths of up to 1,500 meters for up to 2 hours to feed on squid, ratfish, and small sharks. Divers occasionally encounter juveniles and sub-adults in nearshore waters, particularly around the Channel Islands and along the California coast, where these curious and playful animals may approach divers with surprising grace despite their bulk.