elephant seals

11 Stories

Canada Relocates Elephant Seal, but He's Not Having It

Emerson journeys almost 100 miles to return to his home in Victoria, BC

(Newser) - Emerson, the pseudo-celebrity resident elephant seal of British Columbia's capital city, Victoria, really likes his chosen hometown. Really likes it. Last week, conservation officers decided Emerson's penchant for hanging out in the city's flower beds, parks, and roads wasn't the best suited to his longevity and...

Bird Flu Continues to Wreak Havoc, Killing Seals Worldwide

Tens of thousands of seals, sea lions have died, and scientists aren't sure how to slow the spread

(Newser) - Avian influenza is killing tens of thousands of seals and sea lions in different corners of the world, disrupting ecosystems and flummoxing scientists who don't see a clear way to slow the devastating virus . The worldwide bird flu outbreak that began in 2020 has led to the deaths of...

Hundreds of Animal Species Hit by 'Catastrophic' Flu Strain

Elephant seals, seabirds, and now a polar bear—could humans be hit hard next with H5N1?

(Newser) - "It is catastrophic ... the largest die-off for the species, period." That's how Martin Mendez, a marine biologist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, describes to the Washington Post the fate of hundreds of elephant seals last fall in Argentina, found dead along the shore of the Valdes Peninsula....

These Guys Get by on 2 Hours of Sleep a Day
These Guys Get by on
2 Hours of Sleep a Day
New Study
Apr 21, 2023 10:39 AM CDT

These Guys Get by on 2 Hours of Sleep a Day

Researchers matched northern elephant seal brain waves with diving patterns to monitor how they sleep

(Newser) - If you're still drinking coffee and blinking sleep out of your eyes, you might feel sympathy for the northern elephant seal. NPR reports that in a newly-published study, researchers found the huge mammals—known for the way the males' noses resemble elephant trunks—sleep less than just about any...

Elephant Seals: Surprising Masters of 'Space and Time'

Researchers are impressed by their navigational skills

(Newser) - It may not be the first impression you get from looking at an elephant seal, but the creatures have what scientists describe as an uncanny "perception of space and time." The discovery is detailed in a new study in Current Biology . Researchers were trying to get a handle...

After 'Grotesque Test' Kills Elephant Seal, Prison Time

Jordan Gerbich gets 3 months behind bars after he says drunk pal asked him to shoot marine creature

(Newser) - A man will spend three months in prison for shooting an elephant seal in the head . Jordan Gerbich pleaded guilty to one count of illegally taking a marine mammal in December, more than a year after prosecutors said he shot an elephant seal in the head with a .45 caliber...

Man Faces Prison Time for Killing Elephant Seal

Jordan Gerbich shot protected animal on California beach

(Newser) - A man who went to an elephant seal viewing area in California and killed one of the protected animals with a handgun could get up to a year in prison. Prosecutors say 30-year-old Jordan Gerbich, who now lives in Utah, has pleaded guilty to taking a marine mammal, NBC reports....

This Might Be the Strangest Consequence of Shutdown

Seals take over beach in Northern California

(Newser) - A colony of elephant seals took over a beach in Northern California during the government shutdown when there was no staff to discourage the animals from congregating in the popular tourist area, an official said. Now they're not going anywhere. About 60 adult seals that gave birth to 35...

Determined Seal Snarls Highway Traffic

Elephant seal kept trying to cross Calif. Highway 37

(Newser) - Wildlife experts and law enforcement officials worked Monday to keep a determined elephant seal off a Northern California highway that it has repeatedly tried to cross, snarling traffic in the area. California Highway Patrol spokesman Officer Andrew Barclay says callers first reported the 500-pound mammal was trying to climb the...

Seals Plunge for Climate Data
 Seals Plunge for Climate Data

Aug 17, 2008 1:29 PM CDT

Seals Plunge for Climate Data

Scientists use deep-diving creatures for Antarctic research

(Newser) - Giant seals living in the chilly waters of Antarctica are helping researchers gather important data on climate change, reports Popular Mechanics. The elephant seals, tagged with hat-like sensors, make frequent dives deep into the Southern Ocean and surface with valuable details about water temperature and salinity. The dense waters of...

Fishermen Shoot Sea Lions in Battle Over Salmon

Feds suspend trapping as they investigate killings

(Newser) - Six  federally protected sea lions were shot to death along the Columbia River in Washington yesterday as they lay in traps set to move them to another region, AP reports. Three elephant seals were killed the previous day in California. All were apparently the victims of a battle between fishermen...

11 Stories