Northern Elephant Seals

Northern Elephant Seals, Mirounga angustirostris, vocalizing for dominance at Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, located along the central coast of California. Males establish dominance to determine who does the majority of the mating in a harem. The first phase is a distinctive low-frequency, guttural vocalization. The dominance battle can progress to a bloody physical attack.

Northern elephant sealMirounga angustirostriselephant sealPiedras Blancas RookerysealCaliforniacoastrookeryPiedras Blancas Elephant Seal RookerySan Simeonsealsxplormorwildlife viewingbeachsandoceanPacific Oceanshorelinewildlife habitatwildlifemammalsea mammalCalifornia Central Coastelephant seal viewingelephant seal vista pointseal nesting groundelephant seal vocalizationasserting dominance

From USA: Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery