Lone Elephant Seal, Point Piedras Blancas, California

Photo ID# RW012

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By the 1880's, Northern Elephant Seals were nearly extinct due to the whaling industry. A small colony of less than 100 elephant seals managed to breed on Guadalupe Island, off the Baja California Coast. From that colony, the population grew to what it is today at an estimated population of 150,000. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 has played a big role in the resurgence of the species by protecting these magnificent animals from hunting and harassment.

In 1990, several elephant seals arrived on Point Piedras Blancas for the first time. In 2005, 3,500 pups were born and the colony totaled 14,000.