Northern elephant seal

[ MIROUNGA ANGUSTIROSTRIS ]

The thunderous calls of bull elephant seals still echo on secluded California beaches, but their music was nearly lost a century ago. Hunted extensively in the 1800s, the species barely squeaked into the 20th century. Today, several thousand lumber out of the ocean in winter along the Central Coast. Massive males weighing up to 2 1/2 tons fight bloody duels over harems of females that arrive in late January to give birth and then mate again. The frantic melee of bellowing bulls, squealing females and flying sand looks more like a rugby match than a nuptial dance. Amid the frenzy, females try to keep track of their 75-pound newborns while nursing them with milk that’s 54% fat -- rich enough to triple the babies’ weight in less than a month.

NATURAL HISTORY

Through a combination of oxygen-rich blood and thick insulating blubber, elephant seals manage to dive nearly a mile deep and stay underwater for up to two hours while hunting fish and squid.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

Reaching more than 17 feet long, this seal dwarfs its kin. The peculiar pendulous noses are particularly large on the males.