See young male elephant seals fight, nap on SLO County beaches

The Piedras Blancas elephant seal viewpoint remains open north of San Simeon with plenty of fresh air and space for safe social distancing.

There are plenty of seals on the beach to see while observing varying characteristics.

Some adult females are still on the beach. A few adult males have arrived, and subadult males are arriving.

They are all on the beach to molt their skin. Their skin peels off once a year, allowing the seal to enjoy new skin.

Females and juveniles come to the beach in May, gradually depart as subadult males arrive, followed by adult bulls in July.

The juveniles will return in September and October for their fall haul-out rest, but the adult females won’t see land again until January, when they return to have their pups The embryo that was fertilized after weaning in February has now implanted and is developing into the pup that will be born next winter.

The pregnant females will migrate north, spending the rest of the year feeding on fish and squid.

They need to eat to support the developing fetus.

Research has used technology to record video of seals capturing fish at the 1,000- to 2,600-foot depth.

Researchers found nearly four-fifths of the seals’ diet is relatively small fish, less than three inches long.

It’s relatively quiet on the beach, even though lots of seals are there. No breeding is going on, so there’s nothing to fight about.

Subadult males find sport in sparring with each other between naps.

Subadult males, from puberty at around 4 to 8 years old, are more mature than juveniles, from 1 year old until they enter puberty.

They may be sexually mature, but are not likely to mate successfully because they are not yet dominant over more mature bulls. They work on their fighting skills, for the day when they will engage in battles over breeding rights on the beach.

That nose, technically a proboscis, starts growing at around age 4.

The chest shield — crinkled, calloused skin that protects the area where bulls rip and tear at each other — starts developing around age 6.

As the nose grows longer, it develops a notch. By age 8, it’s drooping on the sand when the seal is resting.

The chest shield gets progressively more gnarly.

By age 8, it may encompass the seal’s neck from one side of the body to the other, as far up as level with the eyes when the seal is lying down. That large chest shield is considered a mark of being fully adult.

Both nose and chest shield continue to grow throughout the seal’s life. They are a rough gauge of age after the males are 4 years old.

During the pandemic shutdown, Friends of the Elephant Seal docents have made several videos.

Some are directed at school students, although anyone can enjoy trying out how blubber keeps you warm.

Share the experience of the viewpoint with those who aren’t able to visit with the virtual tour at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0SdAbDXBm9F1sA2oI7Cy1eq-cHhysz1C.