Beach Masters

A face only a mother could love! … and perhaps the occasional wildlife photographer. 

With their pendulous noses, blubbery mass, and scarred chest plates, Northern Elephant Seals aren’t known for chiseled good looks, but there are plenty of reasons to appreciate them. Personally, I enjoy how accessible and rich their behaviors are for anyone who takes even a passing interest in their annual rhythms. Each winter, I look forward to seeing them back on the beaches of California and all the opportunities to photograph them that follow.

These remarkable marine mammals are perfectly adapted for life at sea thanks to their well-insulated bodies and incredible oxygen efficiency. However, they lead lives of dramatic duality. As November turns to December, they haul out of the ocean to initiate a new breeding cycle on land. That means it’s time for us humans to make some room and—if you’re like me—grab a camera. 

It’s thought that elephant seals return to familiar shores—the places they were born and trust as a sanctuary. At first, it might be a handful, squabbling along the coast, but when they arrive in numbers, their large, gray bodies are scattered along the beach like an avalanche of rocks, smoothed over time by the ocean. And the crazy thing is, they’ll be there all winter! Think about how many New Year’s resolutions you’ll make and break before spring, not to mention the places you’ll go and the things you’ll do. But with incredible perseverance, they stay on those beaches that whole time, fasting and surviving on fat reserves. Rain or shine, they remain steadfast on these shores to play their part in securing the colony’s future.

So, how do they spend their terrestrial time? Well, firstly, they sleep a lot. Elephant seals lead active lives at sea but are far more conservative with their motion on land. If you keep your distance, this is a great opportunity to photograph intimate details with a long lens, like whiskers or the nails on their flippers. I’ve yet to spot a shark bite, but that’s also possible. 

Amongst the tranquility, though, there’s a simmering tension. They sleep so much because they need to conserve energy for the things that matter: giving birth, rearing pups, mating, and fighting. And to secure the right to mate, the fighting comes first. December and January are great times to photograph some action.

Juveniles spar to acquire the necessary skills. Every clash is a huge investment of precious calories, but it’s an essential part of their lives. For younger males, these bouts seem almost playful, but the largest bulls are on a mission. If they don’t secure and defend an area of the beach for themselves, they won’t get the chance to mate. In my experience, I’ve found it’s common to hear their vocalizations or see some shuffling to and tho as they assess each other’s dominance and consider who is worth challenging. When fights do break out, though, they happen with surprising speed and violence for such large, lumbering creatures. I’ve missed many shots when I’ve been caught off-guard.

During these thunderous clashes, they lift their bodies as high as they can sustain and smash raw, scarred chest plates together, twisting and contorting to deliver bites. Their pendulous noses swing and ripple with each impact. And, as these features grow over time, indicating maturity, you can often predict the winner by comparing their sizes, bringing a new meaning to the phrase, ‘won by a nose.’ I’ve seen many of these fights spill into the ocean, but as the beach master is established, their opportunity to mate is secured.

In a matter of weeks, the atmosphere on the beach changes, and a sense of serenity settles over the colony. Babies are born, contests subside, and everyone seems to know their place, including a new generation of elephant seals. People say that kids grow up so fast—and from personal experience, I find that true. But with elephant seals, their development is even more dramatic. Feasting on their mom’s fat-rich milk, newborns will quadruple in size in less than a month. Soon, they’ll be comically plump weaned pups, so if you want to photograph all the stages of their development, you’ve got to be quick. 

With spring in the air and warmer weather on the way, the elephant seals return to the ocean for the other half of their existence. The adults leave first, heading northwest, while weaners gather in pods for safety. The rookery is their playground for a bit longer. They’ll stay near land, shedding their dark natal pelage in favor of a sleek, silvery coat while learning to swim and squawking at each other. But soon enough, the ocean calls to them. It’s time to begin their first big adventure, and another cycle begins.