Videographer Brian Caserio just released the first of its kind elephant seal video. The northern elephant seal (mirounga angustirostris) challenges our imagination with its extreme adaptations. Leading what amounts to a double life, they spend most of their time hundreds of miles out to sea continually diving thousands of feet below the surface in a solitary search for food. But twice a year each animal returns to specific haul out areas where they congregate and socialize in huge numbers. Here they give birth, nurse, breed, and molt while fasting for up to three months at a time.

Download the Quick Time Pluggin from http://www.apple.comWith the largest males weighing in at over 5000 pounds the elephant seal is the world's largest pinniped. Mercilessly hunted for their blubber, they were on the verge of extinction by the late 1800's before both Mexico and the United States legislated their protection. With the recent establishment of their newest haul out a Point Piedras Blancas at the southern end of California's Big Sur coastline, the seals have put an exclamation point on one of the greatest comebacks the animal kingdom has ever known. Unique in its proximity to human civilization this new colony had provided unprecedented opportunities and challenges for our two species to coexist. This video chronicles a year in the life of this incredible colony and unveils the hidden secrets of these magnificent giants.

0 Comments

Photo: Flash Photo Graphics
National Marine Fisheries
handing out citations to elephant seal watchers.

Over 65 docents, volunteers from all over the central coast, patrol the beaches north of Cambria in an effort to mitigate tourist inflicted damage to the elephant seals or themselves.  While these animals appear docile they can factually move with unexpected quickness and inflict injury not only from their sheer mass but from their bite as well.

Unfortunately some people just don't get it. They have to be ticketed and slapped with a fine before the light bulb of recognition goes on. Officer Roy Torres has been the man for the job and  is handing out tickets that will cost you over a hundred bucks if you get too close to the massive seals. I don't know how long federal seal laws have been on the books but the fact that it is unlawful to harass or get to close to these animals will cost the brazen and uninitiated. Please remember to keep your distance if you visit the elephant seal haul-out beaches.

0 Comments

History:

A funny thing happened one morning back in 1990 near the Piedras Blancas lighthouse and things haven't been the same there since. A marine biologist awoke, ready to continue his work with sea otters, only to find 19 young elephant seals hauled out on the tiny beach where the biologists used to launch their skiffs. These young rogues, like the misfits on the Mayflower, had abandoned their former colony and landed here to set about creating a new one.

Whether that was their intention or not, they wasted little time in going about their business - spreading the word throughout the elephant seal aquaworld that here was a new frontier ripe for the taking. As soon as 1992 the first pup was born to the new colony and the race was on. This quickly became the fastest growing elephant seal colony ever recorded. As the population expanded the seals spread onto nearby beaches to the south and now, during the breeding season they reach clear to San Simeon Point, about a four-mile stretch. The total number of seals who call Piedras Blancas home is estimated somewhere between 7 and 10 thousand and just this past winter there were 1900 pups born.

This has been good news because, like most marine mammals, elephant seals were hunted to the brink of extinction during the 1800s. Their rendered blubber produced some of the highest quality oil in the world, second in quality only to the sperm whale. But lo and behold an expedition from the Smithsonian found a hundred or so on Guadalupe Island off Mexico in the early 1900s (and promptly killed 6 of them for science) and Mexico was the first to quickly pass laws protecting them. The population recovered very slowly until the 1970s when they finally started taking off. They were never listed as either threatened or endangered by the time the endangered species act passed in 1972.

 

Schedule:

It's impossible to know the exact number of seals at San Simeon because they're never here all at the same time, not even for family holidays. They have developed a unique migration schedule that makes for efficient use of the beach. One that you might want to learn if you're planning to stop by and see the giant beach sausages.
The beach is occupied by varying numbers of animals, of different ages and sexes, depending upon the time of year. In a fully functional breeding colony like Piedras Blancas there are seals hauled out year-round but to pick a starting point we'll use early December, the start of the breeding season. Throughout the month the large bulls arrive to stake-out and defend prime beach real estate in anticipation of the females, who begin arriving late in the month and continue coming throughout January. A large male will hope to have his own pack of up to fifty females and bloody fights erupt in an attempt to obtain and defend the unimpressed women. By the end of January most of the females are here and have each had one pup, birthing right on the beach. This is the peak breeding population time and the most amazing time to view the seals. But be forewarned though, it's not a zoo. The seals will bear their entire life cycle before your eyes, for better and for worse, happy times and sad.

Throughout February and into march, after only four weeks of nursing, the females begin weaning their pups by abruptly taking off again on their migration to feed thousands of miles to the north and west. When the last females are finally gone, having no further reason to stay of course, the big bulls migrate north as well. Late march is pretty much the sole domain of the newly weaned pups, each of which will stay nearby, learning to swim, hold their breath, dive, and sleep some more for two and a half months after their moms leave. They can be endlessly entertaining during this phase. Most pups will be gone by late April.

April also marks the slow beginning of the long molting season. Each seal will return and haul out for about a month, sleeping a lot, and rapidly molting their entire fur coat. People often mistakenly believe the seals have some sort of dreadful disease at this time of year as their fur peels off by the handful. Although there is a nuclear power plant several miles downwind rest assured the seals are perfectly fine. During the molt tempers between the seals are cooled off compared to the breeding season and the seals often happily lay on top of one another in huge piles of stacked blubber.

The season begins with the arrival of young immature males and females, the rough and tumble teenagers of the colony. The females prefer to sleep on the beach all day while the males can often be spotted sparing with each other in the shoreline. By late May and June the mature females come back again, crossing paths with the large numbers of juveniles. This is the peak molting time with the greatest number of animals of the year hauled out on the beach. This is particularly true at a colony like Piedras Blancas since it's so new there is a high percentage of immature animals in the population.

The mature females are not too keen on hanging out with the giant ill-mannered bulls so they take off by the time the big males return to molt in July and August. By July the number of seals around declines rapidly because there are significantly fewer mature males in the colony than females and immature animals, but seeing the giant bulls, which can weigh over 6000 pounds, is always a thrill. Most of the big males are a good seven years old or more so if you do the math it's interesting to note that most of these big guys were not born at this colony. In general the seals will return to breed and molt on the very beaches where they were born, kind of like super sized salmon. But these guys, along with many females too, immigrated from elsewhere, usually San Miguel Island off Point Conception (the largest elephant seal colony) or Año Nuevo Island near Santa Cruz. Perhaps because those colonies are very crowded. Between the end of August and the end of November there are no mature seals around at all but there are often many large groups of immature animals. However, the population at this time is at it's lowest of the year. As these animals mature their haulout schedule will be pushed later and later in the year until they eventually take up their rightful positions in the breeding population.

 

Fun Facts:

Many people are shocked to find out that the seals don't eat a thing while they're at their haul-out colonies. For a large alpha bull during the mating season that means going for three months with out food. They can lose up to a third of their body weight while hauled out. That's not the only amazing thing the elephant seal can do. They migrate further than any other mammal in the world. Each seal is here twice a year and while they're gone mature males will swim as far north as the Aleutian Islands and mature females can venture north and west ending up further out than the Hawaiian Islands, and that's twice a year don't forget.

While they're gone they eat mostly squid and to do so they spend 95% of their time underwater. Big males can dive over a mile deep and stay under for up to two hours, both records for mammals. Elephant Seals are also the largest pinnipeds (seal or sea lions) in the world, even bigger than the walrus.

All this and we still know relatively little about the elephant seal. They are rarely seen outside of their haulout areas, for obvious reasons. We are fortunate to be able to witness this amazing animal right here on the Central Coast. The new colony at Piedras Blancas is one of only a very few mainland haulouts, as they prefer the isolation of offshore islands. And it's certainly the only one so near to civilization, in places being less than a stone's throw from Highway One.

This close proximity has created new challenges with interaction between people and elephant seals. The local community has embraced these new and old residents and is proud to share this unique experience with respectful visitors from all over the world. If you visit please remember these are wild animals with no fear of humans. For your own safety and to ensure the seals will willingly continue their amazing journeys to Point Piedras Blancas in the future, and to continue to block the biologists from launching their skiffs, please do not approach or harass an elephant seal in any way. It is illegal to do so and they will defend themselves. Just remember they have large canine teeth and weigh more than your car.

To enhance your experience, from 10AM on daily, docents are in place at the main viewing parking lot about a mile south of the lighthouse. This is a community based volunteer organization called "Friends of the Elephant Seal". The docents are loaded with volumes of information about the seals and other topics and are available to answer any questions you might have. They're there for you as well as the seals so if you want to know why the seals throw sand on their backs don't be shy. Just look for their blue jackets. For more information you can stop by the "Friends of the Elephant Seal" office located in the Cavalier Plaza along the hotels in San Simeon, or give them a call at 924-1628.

Photography & Graphics: © Flash

0 Comments

Greg Meeks Brings Trolley to Cambria

After spending fifteen years in the transportation industry Greg comes up to Cambria to consult with the CCSD (Cambria Community Services District) on a proposed shuttle route and ends up tracking down and setting up the Otter Bus Trolley.

Formerly the VP of Santa Barbara Transportation and after having managed Yellow Cabs to Limousines Greg moved to the Santa Ynez Valley to take over Santa Ynez Valley Transportation. Currently Greg is the owner of Rural Transit Consultants.
http://rtconsultants.com

Greg has a wife, Barbara of 27 years and a 22 year old son Isaac. Barbara serves as the director of Christian education at the Santa Ynez Valley Church while Isaac studies photography and film ant the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA.

0 Comments