Latin name:
Monachinae- Mirounga-M.angustirostris
Description:
The northern elephant seal is huge and imposing. The males, which are much larger than the females, can reach a length of 5 metres and can weigh up to 2000 kg. Both sexes have long, robust bodies (3 to 5 m, 800 to 2200 kg) and a thick neck. Their muzzle is broad and thick and their eyes are large. Adult males are recognisable by their size, but also by the extremely large, hanging nose, the proboscis. This organ, which looks like an elephant trunk, is inflatable and is used to threaten other males. The animals are mainly grey, but males display a reddish hue on their heads. Northern elephant seals are excellent divers. They are known to dive to depths of 1580 metres, staying under water for 80 minutes. They spend eighty to ninety percent of their life under water. This is the main reason that they are hardly ever seen swimming at the surface.
Pups:
Pups are born during the winter months with a long, woolly, black fur.
Status:
The 19th century seal-liver-oil industry drastically diminished the elephant seal population. Nowadays, like all other arctic seals, they are protected under the 'Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals'.
Range:
