Mirounga angustirostris
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) or northern sea elephant, is one of two species of elephant seal (the other is the southern elephant seal). It is a member of the family Phocidae (true seals). Elephant seals derive their name from their great size and from the male's large proboscis. Sexual dimorphism in size is great. Correspondingly, the mating system is highly polygynous; a successful male is able to impregnate up to 50 females in one season.
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). Females are much smaller and can range from 400 to 900 kg (880 to 1,980 lb) in weight, or roughly a third of the male's bulk, and measure from 2.5 to 3.6 m (8.2 to 11.8 ft). The bull southern elephant seals are, on average, larger than those in the northern species, but the females in both are around the same size, indicating the even higher level of sexual dimorphism in the southern species. Although a few females have been observed to reach 23 years of age and a few males to reach 14, most die much younger.
Pups are born with dark... Wikipedia →
Recording0:15
United States · 2021
© Dawn Ellner · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
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United States · 2025
Chris (CP) and Pamela (PP) Pipes · iNaturalist · CC0
Recording0:35
United States · 2016
© User 301860901 · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SeaWorld San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | L'Oceanogràfic | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | The Marine Mammal Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Hatfield Visitors Center | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Elephant Seal sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 17th most-seen of the 17 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May to September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Elephant Seal in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in October to April, the lowest months. Those are among Pacific Rim National Park Reserve's driest months, with about 90 mm of rain a month against 470 mm in November.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Elephant Seal sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Northern Elephant Seal sightings, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Channel Islands National Park (United States, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Elephant Seal is recorded against all the mammals logged in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
