Northern elephant seals have returned to the Point Reyes National Seashore. Moms are arriving to give birth and wean pups, while the guys battle it out for supremacy and the affections of the ladies. As of Wednesday, about 1,200 seals had gathered at Drakes Beach, South Beach and the Headlands. “The elephant seals are back, and they’re out in force,” said Earl Perez-Foust, a park service spokesman. “We’ve had some very busy weekends in the park, and they are the drivers for it.” At least 330 pups have been born in the seashore so far this winter, the first of them entering the world just before Christmas. Most of the females give birth at Drakes Beach, in front of the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center. The pups weigh about 70 pounds at birth, and the males may grow to over 13 feet in length and weigh up to 4,500 pounds. Females are much smaller, at an average of 10 feet in length and 1,300 pounds. “These animals make the longest mammal migration in the world, from this part of California all the way up to the Aleutian Islands,” Mr. Perez-Foust said. “It’s just kind of staggering to imagine the kind of distance traveled by these creatures.” In all, it’s a 13,000-mile journey. “When they get to Drakes Beach, and you notice that they’re kind of lounging around, you understand why.” Elephant seals were absent for more than 150 years on Point Reyes, but returned to sandy pocket beaches on the south side of the headlands in the early 1970s. In 1981, the first breeding pair was discovered near Chimney Rock. During breeding season, which typically runs through March, Drakes Beach is closed, but a viewing area is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily in the parking lot, depending on staffing and weather. The seals can also be viewed from the elephant seal overlook near the Chimney Rock parking lot. For updates, visit the park’s website.
Elephant seal breeding season begins in seashore, docents posted
