Monterey Bay seals

MONTEREY BAY PINNIPEDS and OTTER

Monterey Bay is exceptional for its wealth of pelagic mammals other than cetaceans. It is the only place in the world where five species of pinnipeds (seals and sea-lions) may be found most years, not to mention a pelagic otter. I enjoy watching sea otters lying on their backs, feeding leisurely on crab or abalone, to dive 'just in time' to avoid the pounding surf about to engulf them (photo right; © Don Roberson).

Barking California Sea Lions are a constant in fall and winter in Monterey, and I hear them from my backyard hot tub when conditions are right. Harbor seals are common attractions along the rocky shore and in Elkhorn Slough. The other pinnipeds, though, require either trips to breeding colonies just north or south of Monterey County (Northern Elephant Seal and Steller's Sea Lion) or luck on offshore boat trips. I've never seen a Northern Fur Seal from shore.

Short photo introductions to the various species follow.
All photos are from Monterey Bay or nearby (Elephant Seals from Año Nuevo Pt.)

Sea Otter Enhydra lutris nearly went extinct due to hunting for their fur in former centuries, but today they are a star attraction along the shores of Monterey Bay. They are easily seen in Elkhorn Slough, around the Monterey Peninsula, and down the Big Sur coast. They are popular attractions at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Local populations have been studied intensively, and much information is available on line. There is a local Sea Otter society with a gift shop on Cannery Row.

Photo above © Ronald L. Branson. Photos below © Don Roberson

California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus is a common visitor in fall and winter from Channel Island breeding populations, and in some years a few remain through spring and summer. Sea lions are easily identified by their external ears (seals show no ears) and by their raucous barking. When present, they commandeer unused boats in the harbor, buoys, and the Coast Guard jetty. They can be very aggressive off Fisherman's Wharf. Our visiting population is almost entirely composed of males; females don't venture this far north.

Photo below © Ronald L. Branson

Steller's Sea Lion Eumetopias jubatus is an occasional visitor in fall and winter, usually among the many California Sea Lions on the Coast Guard jetty in Monterey harbor. They are larger and paler than California Sea Lions (upper left beast in photo, left). Many California Sea Lions become quite pale as they dry, but Steller's retains its blonde color even underwater. They also have more massive necks and body. These were once abundant in Alaskan colonies but numbers have declined so much in recent decades that they are now listed as "threatened" on the Endangered Species list. A small population breeds on Año Nuevo Island, just north of Monterey Bay.

Photos below © Don Roberson

Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina is commonly seen along the shoreline and in Elkhorn Slough. They come in a variety of colors; all have dog-like heads without external ears. They enjoy basking in the sun at low tides. Pups are born on local beaches.

Photo below offshore Yankee Pt. 9 Feb 2003 © Martin Meyers

Northern Fur Sea Callorhinus ursinus is almost entirely restricted to oceanic waters in Monterey Bay and offshore, and almost never seen near land. Small numbers migrate from Alaskan breeding grounds in fall and winter to forage in deep, pelagic waters; they are presumably excluded from nearshore areas by the larger California Sea Lions. At sea, they are identified by the combination of long ears, long whiskers, more pointed snout, and the habitat of dozing on the surface in a 'jug handle' position, with the hind flippers and front flippers pulled out of the water to touch each other. They were hunted voraciously for their thick fur in past centuries, and numbers have never totally rebounded.

Photo below © Don Roberson

Northern Elephant Seal Mirounga angustrirostris is the star attraction at their breeding colonies just north of Monterey Bay (Año Nuevo Pt.; photo, right) and just south (near San Simeon, San Luis Obispo Co.). Huge males battle for mating rights to harems of smaller females. Away from these colonies, elephant seals are found offshore, where they routinely dive to depths of 2000 ft. in search of squid, rays and small sharks. We rarely see them on boat trips, and once they sense the boat's presence, they invariable dive and never reappear nearby.

Click on the links below to bring up the photo-intensive pages which feature:

PELAGIC BIRDS ON MONTEREY BAY

RARE BIRDS ON MONTEREY BAY

FAR-OFFSHORE BIRDS

MONTEREY BAY DOLPHINS

MONTEREY BAY BALEEN WHALES

ORCAS & RARE CETACEANS

SPERM WHALE & BEAKED WHALES

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GO TO BIRD FAMILIES OF THE WORLD

Page created 1-7 Dec 2002, revised 27 Feb 2003