Elephant Seals
Location: 7 miles north of San Simeon on Highway 1 (PCH)
Pros: No admission fees or reservations needed.
Cons: A bit smelly
Located
on a convenient vista turnout right off Highway 1, the Elephant Seal
Rookery is home to a colony of between 7 and 10 thousand northern
elephant seals.
Though
they live off the California coast, Northern elephant seals migrate
twice a year, sometimes traveling as far as the Aleutian Islands or
Hawaii.
The male northern elephant seal can weigh up to 9,000 pounds, dive at depths of up to a mile and hold their breath for almost 2 hours.
While
at sea, elephant seals eat a diet of fish and squid. On land, they do
not eat. They survive off their rich blubber, often spraying sand on
their backs to keep cool.
In January, the females give birth to a single pup after an 11-month pregnancy. Only half make it to adulthood.
Hunted for their blubber, they neared extinction during the 1800s. They are named for their trunklike, inflatable snouts.
Next time you're driving along scenic PCH (Highway 1), check out the elephant seals California rookery. It's free, it's fun and educational.
Friends of the Elephant Seal
PO Box 490, Cambria, CA 93428
Phone: (805) 924-1628
