See the Spring edition of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine for an update on the Highway 1 overpass and a quote about the elephant seals in March.
About 22,000 elephant seals (at last count) haul out on beaches near Point Piedras Blancas every year. They typically arrive in November and December to give birth and mate. By early March, all adult seals and most sub-adults and juveniles have returned to sea. The weaned pups (weaners) remain, exploring their beach environment and using stored fat to grow. “This age is as cute as elephant seals get,” says Michele Roest, founder and principal of Science and Environmental Education Development (SEED). By mid-April, females begin to arrive for the spring molt.