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TFKE: Elephant Seals of Big Sur
2009.06.18
When we first walked down to the beach, our initial impression was that there were all dead. Happily, that wasn't the case; they're just admirably and gloriously lazy.
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When we first walked down to the beach, our initial impression was that there were all dead. Happily, that wasn't the case; they're just admirably and gloriously lazy.
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All of the seals on the beach are adolescent males who come here in June/July to molt. The official term is 'catastrophic molt.'
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All of the seals on the beach are adolescent males who come here in June/July to molt. The official term is 'catastrophic molt.'
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To protect themselves from the heat and sun they cover themselves with sand.
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To protect themselves from the heat and sun they cover themselves with sand.
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Adolescent males that they are, they get into frequent fights for no apparent reason. Hilariously, all of the other seals around them pay them scant, if any, attention during their loud and rather vicious fights. And they don't move unless the fight is pretty much on top of them. I love, too, that they engage in aggressive chest bumping.
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Adolescent males that they are, they get into frequent fights for no apparent reason. Hilariously, all of the other seals around them pay them scant, if any, attention during their loud and rather vicious fights. And they don't move unless the fight is pretty much on top of them. I love, too, that they engage in aggressive chest bumping.
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The fights can get pretty violent with biting and bloodshed. For those curious, the one on the right eventually wins this fight. This is good practice for their eventual adult fights over the establishment of their harems. (Feminism has not yet visited the seal communities! Perhaps I should pass out literature on equality next time I visit?)
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The fights can get pretty violent with biting and bloodshed. For those curious, the one on the right eventually wins this fight. This is good practice for their eventual adult fights over the establishment of their harems. (Feminism has not yet visited the seal communities! Perhaps I should pass out literature on equality next time I visit?)
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The mighty yawper of Piedras Blancas. This young gentleman complained loudly to the heavens the entire time we were there. The sleepy seal to the left never once moved or paid any attention to him.
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The mighty yawper of Piedras Blancas. This young gentleman complained loudly to the heavens the entire time we were there. The sleepy seal to the left never once moved or paid any attention to him.
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You can read more about them and the Piedras Blancas beach here. Diane and I wanted to run down to the beach to hug and squeeze them (and, of course, call them George). The docents wouldn't let us, though, claiming that we'd likely be killed. I remain quite certain they would've sensed the love in our hearts and cuddled happily with us.
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Comments
Yay, it's George! And Georgina, and Georgette, and Georgie, and George Jr., and ... aww. When are we going back to visit them?!
