Where are the elephant seals in San Simeon?
The Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery
Getting There The Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery includes 6 miles of beach, located about 90 miles south of Monterey and 5 miles north of Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The best viewing area is 1.5 miles south of Point Piedras Blancas, and it’s open and free to the public every day.
Are there elephant seals in San Simeon?
Viewing Seasons. Elephant Seals haul out on beaches near San Simeon year round, as they go through different phases in their life cycle. In peak times, there are up to 17,000 animals on the San simeon shores. There are three peak times of the year that have large populations of seals – January, April, and October.
Where in California are the elephant seals?
One is located at Año Nuevo State Park along the San Mateo Coast south of San Francisco. The other is Hearst-San Simeon State Park and the elephant seal vista point located about 5 miles north of Hearst Castle along the coast of San Luis Obispo County.
When did elephant seals come to San Simeon?
1990
In 1990, the first elephant seals arrived on the beaches just south of the Piedras Blancas lighthouse. By the spring of 1991, almost 400 seals had arrived to molt. In February 1992, the first elephant seal pup was born at Piedras Blancas. In 1993, about 50 pups were born.
Can you get close to elephant seals?
In addition, all marine mammals, like elephant seals, are protected under federal law and anyone harassing these animals by getting too close may be subject to prosecution under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Where are the elephant seals on the Central Coast?
The elephant seal rookery spreads out over 6 miles of beach from Point Piedras Blancas on the central coast of California. The best viewing areas are located 5 miles north of Hearst Castle State Historical Monument in San Simeon.
Where are elephant seals located in California?
The Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery spreads out over 6 miles of beach from Point Piedras Blancas on the central coast of California. The best viewing areas are located 90 miles south of Monterey, 5 miles north of Hearst Castle State Historical Monument in San Simeon .
Where to see elephant seals in California?
The Elephant Seal – The Central Coast of California is proud to be the land based home of the Majestic Elephant Seals. The seals are located just north of San Simeon, Ca. and you can view the seals year round.
Why are elephant seals called elephant seals?
Elephant seals get their name from the large proboscis (nose) of the adult male elephant seal which closely resembles an elephants trunk. The male elephant seals proboscis is used to make extremely loud roaring noises, especially during the mating season.
What is a southern elephant seal?
The southern elephant seal is distinguished from the northern elephant seal (which does not overlap in range with this species) by its greater body mass and a shorter proboscis. The southern males also appear taller when fighting, due to their tendency to bend their backs more strongly than the northern species.