Hobbies And Interests
Northern Elephant Seal
Northern elephant seals are the second largest seals in the world. Males can grow to 13 feet and weigh 4,500 pounds, while females can reach 10 feet and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Northern elephant seals spend 80 percent of their lives in the open ocean, 90 percent of which is spent underwater. They can dive up to 5,000 feet and remain submerged for up to two hours, rarely spending more than four minutes on the surface between dives. Their average life span is nine years. They were nearly hunted to extinction for their oil-rich blubber. By 1910, less than 1,000 seals remained. However, today their numbers have rebounded to approximately 124,000 seals, equal to their pre-hunted numbers.
Northern Elephant Seal Habitat
Northern elephant seals can be found in the North Pacific, ranging from Baja California to the Gulf of Alaska, and around Hawaii. Males and females have different migratory patterns. Male seals travel to feed off the Aleutian Islands, while females feed in the northeast Pacific and around Hawaii. This migratory pattern takes males on a 13,000-mile, round-trip journey and females on an 11,000-mile, round-trip passage. Northern elephant seals return each year to their breeding grounds, located along the coast of Mexico and California, including the Point Reyes Headlands north of San Francisco.
Southern Elephant Seal
Southern elephant seals are the largest seals in the world. Males can grow up to 20 feet and weigh 8,800 pounds. Like the northern elephant seals, the females are much smaller. Males are territorial and have harems of 40 to 50 females. Each female gives birth to one pup, nursing it for one month. They are carnivores, feeding on fish, squid and other marine foods. Although they breed on land, they also spend the majority of their lives in the open seas. They share the same ability to dive as deep as 5,000 feet. The southern elephant seal has a much longer life span, ranging from 20 to 22 years.
Southern Elephant Seal Habitat
Southern elephant seals are found in the sub-Antarctic and Arctic waters, including the South Pacific, South Atlantic and Southern Ocean. These waters are frigid but rich in marine life. Southern elephant seals migrate long distances, spending months at sea. The migratory patterns of the males tend to remain more constant, while the routes of females vary according to the availability of prey. Southern elephant seals are frequently found in the Scotia Sea, between South America and Antarctica, and in the Southern Ocean, between Africa and Antarctica.