While this creature isn't located only in California, it is still very unique! My class has been learning about them for weeks now, and we finally took a field trip to go and see them. The males of this species can weigh up to 3 tons and the females, 2 1/2 tons. Their babies weigh 75 lbs at birth and can weigh up to 600 lbs once they've weaned! That's because their mother's milk ends up with 55% fat content by the end of her nursing period. Imagine that! (If you're wondering, I now also know that they can hold their breath for up to an hour if they need to, that males fight for control over a harem, that the males fight for dominancy, and that the large nose is seen as a sign of strength in the males. Aren't you impressed by my 4th grade knowledge?)So....what are these?
An adolescent male resting on the outskirts of the dunes, away from the crowd
A harem with a few males on the outskirts
mom and pup
A male showing his dominance
a male on the move
The day was beautiful and we all had a blast. We did a total of 3 miles of walking, which was nice. I was in charge of half our class and didn't loose anyone, which made me very thankful :)
A beautiful view from the visitor's center
Small hikers on the trails
Sand dunes and ocean
Winter plants
Beautiful beach
5 comments:
halo there...ur great in photography, isn;t it? i like ur blog...its bout journey of life ur heading...nice one...feel free to view my blog...www.amanchong.blogspot.com.. ;)
Wow, those are some big critters! Looks like a fun field trip on a gorgeous day. Fantastic pictures, as always, Addy!
Beautiful day! But those elephant seals sure are ugly. : )
Crap! Sarah beat me to it. Those things are all over the place around our coastline.
I wish I was doing that right now, laying about in a beach somewhere. Wish it was May already where the days are longer and warmer. How was the visit to the doctor's?
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