All eyes of this harem of female northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are on the larger male, who is easily identified by his prominent snout (nose). The flexible proboscis reminded the namers of the species of an elephant's trunk. Male seals have sharp teeth and often are bloodied and scarred by each other while battling for dominance over 40 to 50 females during the annual mating season. More than a century ago northern elephant seals face extinction by being hunted for lamp oil from their blubber. Nowadays these marine mammals are protected by laws in the and Mexico.
All eyes of this harem of female northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are on the larger male, who is easily identified by his prominent snout (nose). The flexible proboscis reminded the namers of the species of an elephant's trunk. Male seals have sharp teeth and often are bloodied and scarred by each other while battling for dominance over 40 to 50 females during the annual mating season. More than a century ago northern elephant seals face extinction by being hunted for lamp oil from their blubber. Nowadays these marine mammals are protected in the and Mexico by laws against their killing or any sort of harassment.
Size: 3975px × 2700px
Location: San Benito Islands in Pacific Ocean off west coast of Baja California, Mexico
Photo credit: © Michele and Tom Grimm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: angustirostris, animal, animals, baja, beach, beaches, benito, breeding, bull, bulls, california, elephant, eyes, face, faces, female, females, group, harem, head, heads, horizontal, horizontals, island, islands, landscape, male, males, mammal, mammals, marine, mating, mexico, mirounga, nature, northern, nose, noses, outdoors, pinniped, pinnipeds, proboscis, protected, rookeries, rookery, san, scar, scarred, scars, seal, seals, season, snout, snouts, species, wildlife
