Animal Guide

Northern Elephant Seal

1 destination · 1 state

Native Range: North Pacific coastlines and offshore islands

Northern elephant seals are hard to appreciate fully until you see just how large they are. Adult males can reach several times the weight of females, and the males develop a distinctive inflatable nose that becomes especially noticeable up close. On land, these seals may seem surprisingly clumsy as they haul their massive bodies across a beach, but that changes completely in the water. A northern elephant seal can dive to remarkable depths and remain underwater for long periods while searching for squid, fish, and other prey. Watch one swim and notice how the front flippers help with steering while the powerful hindquarters drive the body forward. During breeding season, males also use their size and deep vocalizations to compete for access to females, creating dramatic encounters on crowded beaches. Outside those intense periods, much of their time is spent resting between long feeding trips at sea. Seeing one at an aquarium or wildlife destination gives visitors a useful sense of scale that photographs rarely convey, especially when a huge male lifts its head and that unusual nose becomes impossible to miss.

Where to see Northern Elephant Seal

1 destination across 1 state

1 destination

SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando, FL

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