Is the northern elephant seal endangered?

Least Concern (Population increasing)
Northern elephant seal/Conservation status

How many northern elephant seals are left in the world?

Today, the northern elephant seal population has rebounded to approximately the size it was before hunting. It’s estimated that there are 150,000 individuals, with 124,000 in California waters.

Are elephant seal in danger of becoming extinct today?

Today, there are somewhere between 120,000-150,000 elephant seals — a number likely close to their historic population. They have long since been removed from the endangered species list, though they are still protected in the U.S. by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Thankfully, they are a thriving species once again.

What happened to the northern elephant seal?

The largest colonies of northern elephant seals are found off southern California in the Channel Islands. They have one of the longest migrations of any mammal; some have been recorded traveling over 13,000 miles roundtrip. Northern elephant seals were once thought to be extinct due to commercial sealing in the 1800s.

How is the northern elephant seal being protected?

Northern elephant seals are protected throughout their range under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA Fisheries is working to protect this species in many ways, with the goal that populations remain stable and do not fall to depleted or threatened levels. Northern elephant seal juvenile.

How long do elephant seals stay in the water?

For the next two months, weaned pups, called “weaners ” ,” remain on rookery beaches, venturing into the water for short periods of time, perfecting their swimming and feeding abilities. 1 Northern elephant seals are not presently endangered. At one time, however, this species was thought to have been hunted to extinction.

Are there elephant seals in the United States?

Populations of northern elephant seals in the U.S. and Mexico are derived from a few hundred individuals. This small group managed to maintain a foothold in Mexico, despite the fact that by the end of the 1800’s they were nearly hunted to extinction for their blubber. 7

When do northern elephant seals shed their fur?

When molting occurs, they shed their short, dense fur along with large patches of old skin. Molting takes from 4 to 5 weeks to complete. Northern elephant seals are found in the eastern and central North Pacific Ocean.