Smell On land, elephant seals display a keen sense of smell as evidenced by the ability of moms and pups to recognize one another by scent more than by sight or sound. Also, similar to dogs, while inhabiting the beach, elephant seals often wiggle their noses to detect incoming smells.
Elephant seals take their name from the large proboscis of the adult male (bull), which resembles an elephant's trunk. The bull's proboscis is used in producing extraordinarily loud roaring noises, especially during the mating season.
However, it makes navigating on land more difficult because they cannot turn their hind flippers forward to walk like the Otariids. In addition, the hind flipper of elephant seals have a lot of surface area, which helps propel them in the water.
On average, the southern elephant seal tends to be larger than the northern species. Adult male elephant seals belonging to the northern species tend to have a larger proboscis, and thick chest area with a red coloration compared to the southern species.
On average, the southern ele phant seal tends to be larger than the northern species. Adult male elephant seals belonging to the northern species tend to have a larger proboscis, and thick chest area with a red coloration compared to the southern species. Females do not have the large proboscis and can be distinguished between species by looking ...
Once a year, elephant seals go through a process called molting where they shed the outer layer of hair and skin. This molting process takes up to a month to complete . When it comes time to molt, they will haul out on land to shed their outer layer, and will not consume any food during this time. The females and juveniles will molt first, followed by the sub adult males, and finally the large mature males.
The longest life expectancy of a male northern elephant seal is approximately 14 years.
Elephant seals dive to 1,550 m (5,090 ft) beneath the ocean's surface (the deepest recorded dive of an elephant seal is 2,388 m (7,835 ft) by a southern elephant seal, while the record for the northern elephant seal is 1,735 m (5,692 ft)).
When elephant seals are born, they can weigh up to 36 kilograms (79 pounds) and reach lengths up to 122 cm (4 ft 0 in).
For the superfamily of sea slugs, see Pterotracheoidea. Elephant seals are large, oceangoing earless seals in the genus Mirounga. The two species, the northern elephant seal ( M. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal ( M. leonina ), were both hunted to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th century, ...
Elephant seals have large circular eyes that have more rods than cones to help them see in low light conditions when they are diving. These seals also possess a structure called the tapetum lucidum, which helps their vision by having light reflected back to the retina to allow more chances for photoreceptors to detect light.
The whiskers on an elephant seal are called vibrissae. Apart from being used in the water to sense prey, these whiskers are also used on land during interaction between the seals. If a seal holds its whiskers forward, this is seen as an aggressive move by others. In addition, in a fight between males or between a female and a male, the seals may try to bite at the whiskers of the opponent to bring about a retreat.
The nose on the adult male can grow up to two feet in length and is called a proboscis or trunk. The nostrils or nares of all elephant seals can be opened and closed independently of one another.
The black eyes are large and round to aid in light-gathering in the depths. When on land, the elephant seal's pupil will contract to a small slit, and oily secretions will constantly wash over their eyes. Because they have no tear-ducts, this moistening liquid will run down the sides of their faces leaving visible damp trails. An additional characteristic of elephant seal eyes is that each eye can be opened and closed independently of the other.
Elephant seals have thirty teeth, the biggest and sharpest of which are the four canines. Since their molars are not made for chewing, they tend to swallow their soft-bodied prey whole. ( By the time the pups are just over a month old, they are equipped with all thirty teeth so they can start eating solid food once they've learned how to catch it ! )
Elephant seal blubber is a several inches thick layer of fat that has numerous vessels both for blood and lymphatic fluid transportation. This lipid-rich, collagen fiber-laced blubber makes up the hypodermis and covers the whole torso. It is strongly attached to the muscles and skeleton of the elephant seal by a highly organized fan-shaped network of tendons and ligaments. In adult males, this layer of blubber can account for up to 50% of their body weight. The blubber is also the source of their highly efficient thermoregulation system which constantly moderates their body temperature.
Elephant seals are born with a cleft or divided tongue. Scientists are unsure as to the purpose of this split at the front of the tongue, but it may make it easier for the pup to grab and hold onto the mom's teat while nursing. Interestingly enough though, this specialized tongue shape does not change throughout their lives.
An elephant seal breeding ground, or rookery, is no place for the faint-hearted. For the males, being the biggest, baddest and most belligerent will get you the girls. For the girls, it’s do your duty for the species and then get the heck out of there.
From now through March is one of the best times of the year to see elephant seals on our tours. So, let’s get better acquainted with the largest seal in the northern hemisphere. Here are seven things that may surprise you about northern elephant seals. A male, two females and a nursing pup (foreground) at Race Rocks / photo by Brendon Bissonnette, ...
Female elephant seals can dive to almost 6,000 ft. (1,800 metres). And while the average dive time is 23 minutes, the longest recorded by a female elephant seal was almost two hours. Think about that the next time you’re watching a full-length movie!
What this means is that all the northern elephant seals we see today—and there are an estimated 170,000 of them along the Pacific coast—are descendants of those few lucky survivors.
Females are three to four times smaller than the males, but still no slouches in the size department, weighing as much as 1,600 lb. or 725 kg (12 humans) and just over nine feet (2.7 metres) in length ! Male elephant seal inflating his nose at Race Rocks / photo by Showtime Photography, Eagle Wing Tours.
His massive head is dominated by a large bulbous nose that droops over his mouth when he’s relaxed. It looks a bit like an elephant’s trunk, which is how the species got its name. But don’t let that goofy appearance fool you.
Seven things that may surprise you about elephant seals! They’re massive, goofy-looking and make sounds like no other animal. They’re also the enigmas of the seal world, spending only a few weeks on land before they head back to their true home—the open ocean. It’s always a thrill when we spot a northern elephant seal on our whale watching tours ...
The almost invisible ears of an elephant seal are about the size of a pinhole and are located just back from their eyes. Even though no external ear flaps exist, and they have an unusually narrow auditory passage that leads to the eardrum, they hear quite well due to other modifications. The inner ear chamber is proportionately larger than those of other earless seals. In addition, the inner ear, the cochlea, is effectively insulated from the skull so background noise transmitted through the skull cannot reach it.
Elephant seals have large eyes, each with a spherical lens. These specialized lenses help them in absorbing more light in the dark depths. In addition to these lenses, their eyes also contain high numbers of extremely sensitive rod cells called photoreceptors. Helping these rod cells is a mirror-like layer of reflecting plates behind the retina. By reflecting light back through the retina a second time, the light-gathering ability of the rod cells is increased. Their eyes also have a strengthened cornea which is heavily keratinized, and a protective third eyelid called a nictating membrane. This nictating membrane is transparent and moves horizontally across the eye moistening their eyes with an oily liquid. Not only does this membrane protect their eyes underwater by lessening the friction, but it also removes sand and other debris when they're on land. Because elephant seals have no tear ducts, their eyes run more or less continuously when they're ashore.
On land, elephant seals display a keen sense of smell as evidenced by the ability of moms and pups to recognize one another by scent more than by sight or sound. Also, similar to dogs, while inhabiting the beach, elephant seals often wiggle their noses to detect incoming smells. When diving, however, elephant seals keep their nostrils tightly closed.
Female elephant seals are very protective of their personal space and seem to show the least desire in wanting to be in physical contact with other elephant seals except during their annual molt when they will pack themselves in on the beach like sardines in a can. Another exception is during the birthing season when the females constantly sniff and touch their pups. The weaners of both sexes, on the other hand, display great affinity for being in physical contact with one another as do the young and sub-adult males.