Elephant seal weight kg female 9 = female Female weight loss (kg/day)** 7. 15% and 0. Elephant seals fall under the true seal category and contain two sub-categories: southern and northern. Northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris (Gill, 1866), have characteristically long noses giving them their common name. 1972). leonina), were both hunted to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th century, but their numbers have since recovered. , Bowen Oct 7, 2020 · Southern Elephant Seals can dive at depths of 400 to 1,000 m for more than 20 minutes to hunt squid and fish. Interval between litters : 365 days. As of 1/5, there are 77 pups! Stormy weather and high surf brought many male seals to the beach and ice plant in front of Ken Patrick Visitor Center and the adjacent wetland. Much more agile in their ocean environment, an elephant seal moves on land with considerable effort, by using its front flippers and belly. 5 kg) and standard length measurements were taken (Costa et al. Litters per year : 1. What a Trip! Northern elephant seals make semiannual visits to the beaches of Point Reyes—in winter for pupping and mating, and in spring and summer for molting. 6 m long and weigh up to 750 kg. Newborn pups are about 1. Average weight of Baby (calf) Savanna Elephant. Some facts about the Northern elephant seal. During mating season, Northern elephant seals fast and can lose up to 36% of their body weight. 3 m and 40-50 kg. Source for information on elephant seal: The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. The female will breed again before her pup leaves and she returns to the ocean. Most of this time is underwater, diving to depths of about 1,000 to 2,500 feet for 20 to 30 minute intervals with only short breaks at the surface. e. This seal was named in honor of Pluto, which was once considered the 9th planet of our solar system but has since been reclassified as a dwarf planet. 8 ft) in length and 350 to 900 kg (770 to 1,980 lb) in weight for females. The average weight of a female Savanna elephant is about 3. After an 11-month pregnancy, females give birth to one pup each year. 6 feet (1. 5 tons and measuring up to 5. Surprisingly, females that went to sea did not lose more body mass than females remaining on land but had higher stomach temperatures, which could reflect a higher metabolic rate, hence higher energy loss at sea. Size and Weight: Length: Southern Elephant Seals are the larger of the two species. The dental formula is I 2/1, C1/1, PC 5/5. 1986). Litter size : 1. Adult males weigh between 2,200-4,000 kg are average length of 4. 8 ft) long, whereas bulls can range from 1,500 to 3,700 kg (3,300 to 8,200 lb) and grow to 4. Jun 5, 2022 · The typical weight of the Southern Elephant Seal is in the range of 772-8,160 lb (350-3,700 kg). The total number of cows on Point Reyes beaches is above average starting in mid/late January. TIL super weaners are elephant seal pups who, in an attempt to slow their weaning, will steal milk from nursing female elephant seals ("milk thieves"), or be adopted by another nursing mother elephant seal ("double mother-sucklers"). Fasting as long as three months, one of the longest mammalian fasts, ensures the male retains mating access to females. Weaning weight is highly variable, with some pups three times as heavy as others at weaning. Elephant seals are famous for their massive appetites and ability to absorb large amounts of food. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal (M. 1991 for northern elephant seals: Weight=507. Download Table | | Elephant seal average approximate weight (kg) ± SD for three age classes and one CSL average weight (kg) ± SD, N = 22. 6 and 4. What do elephant seals eat - are they carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores? Female elephant seals are significantly smaller, with an average length of 9-12 feet (2. The females hunt for pelagic prey in the open ocean, and dive deeper (up to 1000 m) and stay down longer than the males. 738×Area1 During that time, they lose 40% of their body weight-up to 2000 lbs (900kg). the elephant seal may have an advantage due to its weight and thick blubber, which could Nov 8, 2007 · Elephant seals are an ideal subject for reproductive effort studies because they fast during the breeding season, splitting the phase of energy acquisition from the phase of energy use for Apr 19, 2022 · Northern elephant seals’ diet primarily consists of squid and fishes, but they also consume rays and sharks. Elephant seals are classified under the order Pinnipedia, which, in Latin, means feather- or fin-footed. Males may weight up to four tons while maximum recorded weight for females is around 900 kg, and the most of them are lighter. As of January 13, the total number of cows on Point Reyes beaches is above average. elephant seals gather in spring and summer to molt, or shed their fur (note the patchy coat of the seal indicated with an arrow). angustirostris) , native to the eastern Pacific Ocean off North America, is considerably smaller than its southern relative, with males generally growing to a maximum Northern elephant seal skull on display at the Museum of Osteology, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Females typically measure around three A newborn northern elephant seal pup, just four weeks old, remained alone on the beach at the Piedras Blancas northern elephant seal rookery in San Simeon, California. Sep 15, 2020 · Female Southern Elephant Seal. Elephant seals are the only known animals capable of filling collapsed lungs. 7 meters in length and a weight of 1,500 – 2,300 kg (Male), or 400 – 900 kg (Female). The largest member of the order Carnivora, adult males, can be six times larger than polar bears! Adult female mortality is apparently lower at northern elephant seal rookeries such as Año Nuevo and the Farallons (Le Boeuf and Reiter 1988; Huber et al. [Image will be Uploaded Soon] Physiology of Elephant Seals Pups are born black and will molt into a silver coat after 4-6 weeks, once they are weened. Keywords elephant seal, pinniped, marine mammals, tooth fractures, dentition, extractions, surgery, veterinary dentistry Introduction The elephant seal is the largest member of the family Phocidae or “true seals. Super weaners are usually male, and may weigh up to 600 lbs. Sep 17, 2019 · Lifetime reproductive success of individuals in a natural population provides an estimate of Darwinian fitness. Female southern elephant seals are markedly smaller than the males, measuring 2. They haul out only for breeding and moulting. Males of both species are much larger than females. May 22, 2021 · Male northern elephant seals can grow up to 4 meters long and weigh up to 2,000 kilograms. They are among the world’s most sexually dimorphic mammals, with adult males tipping the scales at between 3 000 and 4 000 kilograms – up to 10 times the weight of an average adult female. Elephant seals are large marine mammals and are the largest extant carnivorans that can weigh up to 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb). 7 meters) long and weigh as much as 4,000 kg (8,800 lbs). Northern elephant seal skull on display at the Museum of Osteology, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A typical male elephant seal fight - threatening, vocalizing, and lunging. Generally, they are enormous in size, being the largest pinniped species. Elephant seals are massive in comparison to other seal species. With a team of researchers, they marked the females with tags and monitored their lives at the Año Nuevo rookery every winter breeding season and during the summer molting period. 1 lb) Dye mark: A366. Male southern elephant seals are significantly larger than females. Southern elephant seal adult males are larger than the females, and sizes also range within the same sex in this species. Most elephant seals will return to natal rookeries when they reach sexual The pup nurses from its mother for four weeks, quadrupling its birth weight to around 300 lb (135 kg). Weight at birth: 37. 2 to 4. On the contrary, secondary sexual traits are more developed in the northern species: the trunk is longer, and the neck and chest shield is more developed. The deepest dive recorded was over a mile. 5 – 4 meters) Weight: 900 – 1,800 pounds (400 – 800 kilos) Coat Color: Blond to light brown They are very much larger than other pinnipeds, with southern elephant seal bulls typically reaching a length of 5 m (16 ft) and a weight of 3,000 kg (7,000 lb), and are much larger than the adult females (cows), with some exceptionally large males reaching up to 6 m (20 ft) in length and weighing 4,000 kg (9,000 lb); cows typically measure Adult males may grow to 14-16 feet (4-5 m) in length and weigh up to 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg). Video taken on January 23, 2021. 5 tons. Both species, the northern elephant seal and the southern elepha Female northern elephant seals spend 18 size—males can grow to weigh up to 2,300 kg and females up to 900 kg. Feb 15, 2010 · We measured body oxygen stores (blood volume and muscle myoglobin) and diving behavior in adult female northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, to investigate age-related effects on diving performance. 5 kg (82. 0 days Given that she is the heaviest female ever recorded, it seems useful to have an estimate of her departure mass, which can be done in several ways: (1) extrapolating her actual mass loss rate (8. 6 meters in length and 300-500 kg in weight. Great northern elephant seals maximum weight is about 2300 kg for males versus 3700 kg for southern, while females are more similar. They are called elephant seals partly because of their size and Aug 4, 2015 · The average weight of an adult seal depends on the seal species; for example, Atlantic harbor seals weigh an average of 150 to 300 pounds. The females are much smaller at 10 feet in length and 1,300 pounds. Adult weight: 1600 kg (3520 lbs) Female maturity :1095 days. 3; Elephant seals are the only known animals capable of filling Male elephant seal pups are generally larger than females, consequently, smaller adult females (<380 kg) generally give birth to female pups, while the ratio of male to female pups is similar for larger females (Arnbom et al. Sep 8, 2024 · They are colossally large in comparison with other pinnipeds, with southern elephant seal bulls typically reaching a length of 5 m (16 ft) and a weight of 3,000 kg (6,600 lb), and are much larger than the adult females (cows), with some exceptionally large males reaching up to 6 m (20 ft) in length and weighing 4,000 kg (8,800 lb); cows Apr 8, 2024 · Sex: Female Mass: 94. The huge male northern elephant seal typically weighs 1,500–2,300 kg (3,300–5,100 lb) and measures 4–5 m (13–16 ft), although some males can weigh up to 3,700 kg (8,200 lb). Mar 1, 2024 · News This Week. Their large and round black eyes are actually quite attractive and make females very photogenic. In total, over the course of a year, elephant seals Northern Elephant Seals are the second largest pinniped, only southern elephant seals are larger. The first elephant seal pup of the season was spotted on 12/21. Wallows. The combined weight of the tag and glue was approximately 0. 5-4 m) in length and 900-1,800 pounds (400-800 kg). 6–4. Costa, unpublished data). This species is sexually dimorphic with adult males weighing 2-7 times more than adult females. Adult males are 14 to 16 feet (4 to 5 m) in length and 4,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,400 to 2,300 kg) in weight. Female elephant seals nurse their pups for about a month. Jan 8, 2024 · A previous study reported that the mass loss of female elephant seals averages 4. The females, which weigh around 1000 Ibs, are much smaller than the males, which may weigh up to 5000 lbs. 8 m (14 to 16 ft) in males and 2. In the last week of nursing she comes into estrus. 2 m Apr 6, 2015 · On average female southern elephant seals weigh 350 to 900 kg (770 to 1,980 lb) and measure 2. 5 m long and weigh up to 2,300 kg, adult females measure up to 3. 2+/-2. Elephant seals are large, oceangoing earless seals in the genus Mirounga. They are large ocean-going mammals with adult males weighing up to 3,000 kg and adult females between 300 and 900 kg just prior to giving birth. 5 m) Special Design Feature: The elephant seal is able to dive as deep as 3,000 feet (914 m) without being crushed by the pressure of the water. They dive to depths of 300-800 meters and dives can last up to 2 hours. 2,000 of the fish each day—enough to gain back the weight they lost Aug 1, 1989 · Initial post-partum weight in females ranged from 346 to 803 kg ( =506, SD=111, n=26). Elephant seals have a unique, trunk-like proboscis on their snouts, which is more prominent in males and is used to make loud, resonant calls during mating season. Even female and subadult male elephant Feb 6, 2024 · An adult male elephant seal can weigh up to five tonnes and measure up to six and a half metres! Females are smaller and weigh around 7 – 800 kg. Large bulls can be heavily scarred from fights with other males during the breeding season. Birth weight of female and male southern elephant seal pups as a function of maternal mass at parturition. ) Conservation Status: Least Concern; Other interesting southern elephant seal facts: The southern elephant seal is not only the largest pinniped, but also the largest member of the Carnivora order. The difference in weaning weight is due to the slight difference in the duration of lactation in the two species, with southern Elephant seals or sea elephants are very large, oceangoing earless seals in the genus Mirounga. Orca range in weight from 3,000 lbs for a small adult female, up to 12,000 lbs for a large bull, while leopards seals weigh from roughly 440 lbs up to 1,320 lbs. Females are smaller, getting up to about 3 meters in length and 590 kilograms. , 0. Apr 11, 2023 · Contrarily, the Southern elephant seal is 4. Weaning : 26 days. Length: 9 – 12 feet (2. A typical elephant seal at the same age weighs between 250 pounds (110 kg) and 350 pounds (160 kg). 7-3. Pinnipedia • Phocidaev Mirounga leonina, M. The maximum size of a female is 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) and 3. 3 feet (6. 1–1. 3 m and 45-50 kg, and gain up to 9 kg/day two species, the southern elephant seal (M. leonina), found throughout Adult females are similar in size and weight to northern elephant seal females weighing 350-600 kg with exceptionally large females reaching 800 kg. 2,300 kg (3,300 – 5,100 pounds How much do elephant seals eat? The daily food intake of elephant seals can reach 270 pounds (122. Pregnant female southern elephant seals vary in size by more than a factor of three when they come ashore Nov 22, 2024 · Female southern elephant seals are notably smaller than their male counterparts—that can reach up to six meters in length and weigh over four tonnes. 1 tons (about 7,000 pounds), data ranging from 2. [3] How much do elephant seals weigh? Southern elephant seals are the largest seal species, followed by Northern seals. Female elephant seals forage in the open ocean, while male elephant seals forage along the continental shelf. The mother will lose 2 lbs (0. Jan 4, 2016 · Elephant Seal. The southern elephant seal is the largest seal, with males weighing around 3. 7 m (12 ft). angustirotris. The female Elephant seals arrive at the rookeries (breeding grounds) in late December. An average adult southern male may weigh 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) and reach a length of 5 m (16 ft), while the adult female (cow) weighs about 900 kg (2,000 lb) and it measures about 3 m (10 ft) long. Males are provided by proboscis, enlarged canine teeth and a stiff dermal shield in the chest. All 3 seals were successfully released into their natural environment. Feb 18, 2020 · While female Weddell seals are larger than males, neither come anywhere close to the size of an elephant seal (max weight = 3,175 kg or 7,000 pounds). Nov 11, 2007 · In 1996, we captured a 263 kg female elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) on the rookery at Año Nuevo Point, California, attached a video and data recorder to its back, and released it approximately 50 km away in Monterey Bay (Davis et al. The first difference is male size: northern elephant seals maximum male weight is about 2300 kg versus 3700 kg for southern, Weight: Males range 1,500 - 3,000 kg the picture to the right shows a fully grown male and female. Jan 25, 2020 · Pinnipeds are found globally and can be divided into three sections: true seals, eared seals, and walruses. Southern Elephant Seals are the deepest diving air-breathing non-cetaceans and have been recorded at a maximum of 2,133 m in depth. The elephant seal is a marine mammal that can weigh up to 4,500 kg and grow as long as 6 meters. Nov 1, 2018 · We restrained pups by hand and weighed them with a weighing bag suspended to a 500-kg Adult male and female northern elephant seals differ greatly in body size, with males ~3. Gestation lasts about 350 days. The greatest threat to the young pups is the heavy-bodied adult males, which totally ignore the presence of the pups and sometimes Southern elephant seals are the largest of all seals with males reaching 4 to 5 metres in length and 3,500 kg in weight, while the female is a smaller 2 to 3 metres in length and only 500 kg in weight. The two elephant seal species were discovered to be taxonomically different species in 1866 (Stewart et al. 1991) than at the southern elephant seal rookery at Marion Island, where it is concluded that the colony decline is due mainly to high adult female mortality (Bester and Wilkinson, this volume). 8 ft) long, whereas bulls can range from 2,200 to 4,000 kg (4,900 to 8,800 lb) and grow to 4. Adult male elephant seals weighing 3500 to 5000 pounds (1600 to 2300 kg) begin Sep 17, 2019 · 1-month molting period on land. 5 kg i. 6 to 6. The seal returned to the rookery one week later and the instrument was recovered. 8 m (14 to 19 ft) in length and 1,500 to 3,700 kg (3,300 to 8,200 lb) in weight for males and 2. , 1994). females average about three meters and weigh about 500 kilograms. Elephant seal, either of the two largest pinnipeds (aquatic mammals of the suborder Pinnipedia): the northern elephant seal (species Mirounga angustirostris), now found mainly on coastal islands off California and Baja California; or the southern elephant seal (M. 0 liters in female elephant seals or 20. The two species, the northern elephant seal (M. In total, over the course of a year, elephant seals Feb 6, 2024 · An adult male elephant seal can weigh up to five tonnes and measure up to six and a half metres! Females are smaller and weigh around 7 – 800 kg. Males can reach lengths of up to 16 to 20 feet (4. The smaller seal is an adult female and the much larger one with the trunk-like nose is an adult male. 6 tons (about 6,000 to 8,000 pounds) (Macdonald 2010, NatGeo b, Stuart & Stuart 2006). Seals live throughout the world's various oceans and seas regardless of the Jan 22, 2020 · Southern elephant seals are a bit larger than northern elephant seals. Weights and tagging dates for the seals studied Seal Weight (kg) Date 1 506 21 Nov 1990 2 362 22 Nov 1990 Hooded Seal Profile. Elephant seal females start breeding at about 4. See elephant seals Click on image to see slides. Elephant Seal Adult Female. At around 6. They have a body length between 3. Adult male elephant seals are enormous, weighing up to 5,000 pounds (2267. angustirostris). A threat is when a male raises up on his front flippers. The sizes of Southern Elephant Seals differ greatly between genders. Sep 9, 2024 · On average female southern elephant seals weigh 400 to 900 kg (880 to 1,980 lb) and measure 2. If a male were to leave the beach, he would lose his mating advantage. Female elephant seals are extreme capital breeders that rely exclusively on stored reserves while nursing their pups (Crocker et al. [5] The largest northern species are the Northern Elephant Seals, which can reach up to 3. Learn more about elephant seals. A female elephant seal size or can reach a length of about 4 centimetres on average and the males generally extend from 5 centimetres. 5 lbs) Weight at weaning : 140. 4 metres (3. Female Elephant Seals give birth to a single pup in the late winter and raise it for about a month. Young or female elephant seals close in size to monk seals will show nostrils that are terminal and Oct 28, 2019 · Average weight of Female Savanna Elephant. The northern elephant seal coat is dark gray Jan 3, 2025 · The Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica) of Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, is the smallest at 1. The winner remains with the submissive looser crawling away. So, whether you see a male or female, these wonderful creatures are huge—be sure to keep your distance! 2) Babies Are Born After 12 Months. 2001). ”1,2 The range of the northern elephant seal (Mir- About the Northern Elephant Seal The females are much smaller at 9-12 feet (2. During her 5-week stay, mom loses about 40% of her body weight. 9 kg). A male southern elephant seal weighs up to SEVEN times as much as a polar bear! Adult males reach 4. Female elephant seals are smaller, typically reaching lengths of up to 10 feet and weights of up to 1,500 pounds. 7 to 3. Males are distinguished by a mouth resembling an elephant’s trunk and huge dimensions. 1). An average mature can be more than twice the length of a female, and up to ten times heavier. Elephant seals use their teeth during fighting to rake the necks of opponents. A female elephant seal weighs between 600 to 900 kilograms and males as mentioned before are known to be 10 times larger than that of the females. W. Elephant seals give birth within a week, usually to a single pup. dictionary. Consequently, pup mass at birth or weaning reflects Here visitors can watch these magnificent animals from a safe distance, during breeding season. Apr 11, 2023 · Male elephant seals can grow to be up to 16 feet in length and can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. 7 meters) and a weight of 900-1,800 pounds (408-816 kilograms). 45kg) the pup gains, eventually reaching a loss of about 40% of her original weight. Expressed in terms of fat-free empty live weight, the elephant seal figure corresponds to 318 ml/kg compared with 96 ml/kg in an adult human being. Southern elephant seals often bunch together in muddy pits called wallows, using their small flippers to cover themselves with wet sand, which helps keep them cool. This makes the elephant seal the most sexually dimorphic mammal (Fig. The females are much smaller at 9-12 feet (2. Size relative to a 6-ft man: Though both male and female elephant seals spend time at sea, their migration routes and feeding habits differ: Males follow a more Elephant seals use their teeth during fighting to rake the necks of opponents. Females are significantly smaller, measuring about 10 feet (3 meters) long and weighing around 600 kg (1,300 lbs). Northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris. Female northern elephant seals go into estrus approximately 24 days after parturition, which lasts around 4 days (Le Boeuf et al. Females can grow up to 600 kg (1360 lbs) while males top out at 500 kg (1100 lbs). Four post-breeding female southern elephant seals (Table I) Table I. Diana, an 8 year old female elephant seal, did this, not once, but twice! This incredible adult female elephant seal was born in 2016 and gave birth to her first pup at age 4, in Winter 2020 and her second pup in Winter 2021. We calculated lifetime reproductive success in a colony of female northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris (Gill, 1866)) by monitoring annual breeding throughout life of 7735 female weanlings marked individually at Año Nuevo, California, USA, from 1963 to 2005. The gestation period for a female Elephant seal is 9 months. 7; Great white sharks and killer whales prey on northern elephant seals. Elephant seals birth and mate in harems. Mean length is 3. They have lost as much as 40% of their weight, after fasting for over three months. After chemically immobilizing a lactating female, she and her pup were weighed with a tripod scale (accurate to ± 2. During her time at sea before the molt, she is able to regain some of her weight without simultaneously nurturing a fetus. leonina) and the northern (M. Males usually dive straight down to the ocean floor and stay at the bottom foraging for benthic prey. Male maturity : 1826 days. 8 ft) and they weigh between 900 and 2,500 kgs (1,980 - 5,510 lbs). 315 kg (308. Female elephant seal counts this season compared to average female counts from 2005-2017 at the three Point Reyes National Seashore breeding colonies. Adult males: length 4-5 m Elephant Seal Reproduction. They keep them on display year-round, flapping them about aggressively when troubled. After molting, the female re-turns to sea again to forage for the entire 8-month-long gestation period. Gestation : 252 days. 1% during the latter Elephant seals are sexually dimorphic species of marine mammal that lives off the coast of California. Southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina (Linnaeus, 1758), are named for their elephant trunk-like noses. Adult males measure up to 4. 8 The most striking characteristic of both species is the pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males weighing 8–10 times more than females. Pups are Jan 23, 2021 · A 40-second-long video of an adult bull elephant seal pursuing and attempting to mate with an adult female elephant seal that is still nursing its pup. Elephant Seals: Males can grow up to 22 feet (6. Adult walrus are characterised by prominent tusks and whiskers, and considerable bulk: adult males in the Pacific can weigh more than 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds) [4] and, among pinnipeds, are exceeded in size only by the two species of elephant seals. Southern Elephant Seals spend almost 90% of their lives in the water. What happens when an 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) Elephant Seal mistakes you for a rival breeding male [by Paul Nicklen, NatGeo] The southern elephant seal life cycle Southern elephant seals spend the most of the their lifecycle at sea, deep diving (up to 1500 meters) to get squids, the main component of their diet. After nursing the young pup for 28 days and losing 40 percent of her body weight, her mother departed in mid-February 2018, to return to sea for a two- to three-month post the course of a year, elephant seals migrate 12,000 to 14,000 miles! Find out more about this amazing feat—the longest migration of any marine mammal. Feb 26, 2024 · Total Hg (THg) concentrations (μg/g dry weight) in northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) pup lanugo as a function of maternal age and year (n = 334 pups from 221 adult females) from a generalized additive mixed model with individual adult female seal as a random effect. Size and Weight. Burney Le Boeuf, Richard Condit, and Joanne Reiter spent over five decades—from 1963 to 2005—tracking almost 8,000 female northern elephant seals. Adult males may grow to over 13 feet in length and weigh up to 4,500 pounds. 85 m and mean weight is 1,844 kg. They are very much larger than other pinnipeds, with southern elephant seal bulls typically reaching a length of 5 m (16 ft) and a weight of 3,000 kg (7,000 lb), and are much larger than the adult females (cows), with some exceptionally large males reaching up to 6 m (20 ft) in length and weighing 4,000 kg (9,000 lb); cows typically measure Weight: Up to 4,000 kg (8,820 pounds) Female southern elephant seals reach sexual maturity as early as three years of age, while males reach sexual maturity at six. For the energetic studies, 22 different female-pup pairs were weighed 0 to 5 days postpartum, and the procedure was repeated an average of 21. Elephant seals exhibit sexual dimorphism - a systematic difference in form between individuals of opposite sex of the same species. 9 to 6. 1994). Southern elephant seals are named after the large proboscis (nose) of the adult males, which is used to make loud roaring sounds, especially during the mating season. A female elephant seal living in the Antarctic region can be as long as 10 feet and weigh around 2,000 pounds. Female elephant seals have an average weight of 900 to 1,800 pounds, and male elephant seals average approximately 3,000 to 5,000 pounds, but can weigh as much as 8,800 pounds. The total number of cows on Point Reyes beaches is similar to the average; however, the Drakes Beach colony has numbers above average and the Point Reyes Headlands are below average. from publication: Ontogenetic changes in skeletal muscle Dec 18, 2024 · Adult female elephant seals at Año Nuevo Reserve and other colonies along the west coast of North America were tracked annually from 2004 to 2020, resulting in a total of 653 instrument deployments. 2 ± 2. Male southern elephant seals have been recorded to weigh 3700 kg, whereas females only weigh between 400 and 800 kg. Blood volume averaged 74. 9 7. Dec 20, 2016 · Weight: Males: 3700 kg (8,160 lb. Pup lanugo was grown in utero during the approximately 7-month Female elephant seal counts this season compared to average female counts from 2018-2022 at the three Point Reyes National Seashore breeding colonies. The story of the Northern elephant seal is also a powerful testament to the impact and importance of conservation efforts. These seals are characterized by their large size, elongated snouts Adult male elephant seals weighing 3500 to 5000 pounds (1600 to 2300 kg) begin arriving late in November and will continue to arrive through much of December for the birthing and breeding season. 2 m in length and a maximum weight of 2,500 kg. 8 m (14 to 19 ft) in length. 5 meters, whereas females are smaller, at 900 kg and less than 3 meters long. Elephant seals are well known for their enormous noses. In the usual one month of nursing, the pup will grow from 70 pounds to 300 pounds (30 kg to 135 kg). 10% of the mean departure weight of adult female southern elephant seals (338 ± 65 kg) and subadult males (469 ± 202 kg), respectively. The males feed only in May 27, 2024 · A female elephant seal living in the north is about 10 feet long and weighs around 1,300 pounds. 5 m (11. Northern elephant seals were once hunted for their blubber, which was refined to use as oil. [3] Female elephant seal counts this season compared to average female counts from 2005-2021 at the three Point Reyes National Seashore breeding colonies. 1994), which is substantially larger than that of northern elephant seals at 608 kg (D. The elephant seal is in the phocid, or true seal, family. 85 feet (2 to 3 meters) in length they often weigh between 880 and 1,985 pounds (400 and 900 kg). 0% of body mass. So, the Southern elephant seal is much larger and heavier than the Leopard seal. The northern elephant seal is the second largest seal in the world, after the southern elephant seal. 8 ft) long and weighing up to 900 kg (1,980 lb). 5 D. by female, and not by male, fecundity (Stearns 1992; Wilkinson and Van Aarde 1999). 47 kg). 5 to 9. Suppose that scientists measured the weight of three adult female elephant seals and their female offspring Parent Weight 920 999 1014 The female departing the beach after birthing has lost about 40% of the weight she had when arriving on the beach. ); females: 600 kg (1323 lb. How Much Do Newborn Nov 19, 2024 · DIANA. Walruses, on the other hand, can be even larger than elephant seals. 2 to 5. Weight: 7,700 pounds (3,500 kg) Length: 21. 6 to 3 m (8. Newborns are about 1 m in length and 16–18 kg in weight. 7 to 2 meters) in length. 6 feet) long and 50–130 kg (110–290 pounds), but some female fur seals weigh less. This makes them one of the largest species of seal in the world. Males commonly reach a length of 18 ft (5. [2] Nov 22, 2024 · Camps Bay beach has an unexpected visitor – a female southern elephant seal who has hauled out onto the sand to moult. Leopard seal pups also grow into huge seals,, reaching up to 3. 4 kg (208. Physical Characteristics: Fur and Coloration: One of the most notable features of the harp seal is its coat. Only recently the males in Table 1 of Haley et al. Elephant seals breed primarily on sub-Antarctic islands and in Peninsula Valdes and adjacent coastal sectors, which is the only continental breeding area outside Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) and northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris)Elephant seals – there are only two species of these seals. 7 kg/day, during 25–30 days of molting 31. Females weigh about 2,000 pounds (907 kg). Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are the largest living seal species. 1 meters), while females Elephant Seals lose a significant amount of weight during the breeding season, with cases of a 36% shed in their total body weight. 8 - 14. Female southern elephant seals are comparatively smaller than their male counterparts. 6 kg/day from 3 to 15 days postpartum) to departure yields a departure mass of 478 kg and a mass transfer efficiency (MTE) of 74. Teeth) for the job. 693 lbs) Source: AnAge Weight: Up to 4. They have the biggest weight difference between males and females of any animal species. Southern Elephant Seals have lifespans between 14-22 years. Jan 1, 2018 · At birth, the pups weigh between 30 and 40 kg in both species, but by the time they wean, southern elephant seal pups weigh approximately 120–130 kg and northern elephant pups weigh approximately 140–150 kg. 8 ft) in females, and weigh as much as 1,500 to 3,700 kg (3,300 to 8,200 lb) in males and 350 to 900 kg (770 to 1,980 lb) in females making them one of the largest marine mammals in the world. Threats Apr 11, 2023 · Adult male elephant seals can grow to be up to 4. … the course of a year, elephant seals migrate 12,000 to 14,000 miles! Find out more about this amazing feat—the longest migration of any marine mammal. Similarly, she is able to fast during the Spring molt without the resource loss required by gestation. 9 kg) for every lb (0. 4+/-17. The mother’s milk is very rich, reaching around 60% fat by weaning time. The northern elephant seal (M. Males grow to huge sizes, and they can weigh 8,800 pounds (3,991 kg) or more. Adult males: length 4-5 m The maximum mass of adult female southern elephant seals can reach 977 kg (Arnbom et al. On average female southern elephant seals weigh 350 to 900 kg (770 to 1,980 lb) and measure 2. The two species of the genus are similar in external appearance, behaviour at sea, and gross traits of social system. But there’s another member of this family whose bulbous nasal displays are kept under wraps; brought out only when needed. 2 m with a maximum of 6. They are both apex predators with all the necessary weapons (i. A super weaner, an elephant seal at weaning age which obtains milk from multiple females, can weigh 600 pounds (270 kg). The nails on their forelimbs help the elephant seal climb over rocks and are also used for scratching dry skin and irritation caused by parasites. Size and Weight: Length: Adult harp seals typically measure between 5. 5 m) and a weight of 5,000 lb (2,270 kg); the female may measure 10 ft (3 m). The most amazing fact about elephant seals is the huge difference in size and morphology between males and females. Each year they give birth to a single pup, which Jun 24, 2021 · Female elephant seals weigh 350 kg on average, and dive continuously to the ocean's mesopelagic zone, about 200 to 1,000 meters deep, to consume their only prey: Small fish that weigh less than 10 The blood volume of the adult female elephant seal obtained by Welcker's method can be expressed as 207 ml/kg empty live weight, compared with a figure of 80 ml/kg in an adult human being. PAGE 2 The Northern Elephant Seal A Remarkable Recovery Charles Scammon, a 19th Century whaler and sealer, first documented the elephant seal rookeries from California to Mexico. (GA images) Elephant seal males fight with threats, vocalizations, and lunging to establish their territory. May 21, 2021 · Northern elephant seals dive almost continuously during the 6 to 8 months they spend at sea. Weight: They weigh around 260 to 300 pounds (118 to 136 kilograms), with males being slightly larger than females. Their lungs collapse during dives. Northern elephant seals spend about 9 months of the year in the ocean. grbfl dfkrk nfprgw mdzhfo wivyi ahw bdq jyz ibhoj atrd