Nicole Teutschel, Long Marine Lab, CA--When the TOPP E-seal team was running though the waves, trying to avoid getting soaked, they almost ran right into Penelope! Penelope’s tag’s antenna was sticking up out of the surf as she came on shore. As the water level fell back, there she was!

Each day the TOPP E Seal team goes to Año Nuevo State Reserve to scan for the 20 returning elephant seals with satellite tags. By scanning, and resighting (walking the beach looking for flipper tags on seals) we know which day each tagged seal reaches the beach.

This is a photo of Penelope at dawn on January 18th, as she was coming ashore. As you can see, she has light colored circles that look like eyeliner around her eyes that researchers use as a clue to find out when seals arrive on the beach. Here it was obvious however, because we watched Penelope come out of the water.

Seals who have just come out of the water look like they have thick yellow or orange eyeliner around their eyes that only lasts a day or two after they’ve reached the beach. The combination of observing eye coloration, scanning, and resight efforts are the best way to estimate an animal’s arrival date. It’s very rare to actually get to watch one come ashore.

Penelope as she entered the harem at Año Point, she's still very wet and covered in sand. She's looking a little sleepy after that long journey!

Penelope, who's the first featured TOPP E Seal for Elephant Seal Homecoming Days, was one of those rare cases. Penelope reached Año Nuevo State reserve at about 6:45 a.m. on Friday January 18^th. She was coming up the beach from the waves to a harem called Año Point. We stumbled upon her on our way to recover Isabel’s tags (see previous posting).

PhD student Jason Hassrick and undergraduate student and volunteer Erin Pickett observing Penelope a couple hours after she reached shore. They are looking to see if she has a pup, checking out how her satellite tag looks after its journey, and making any other observations that may help them keep an eye on her in the upcoming weeks.

Penelope quickly joined the harem, at Año Point. Here you can see her four tags: a satellite tag, a velocity tag, and two tags tied together: at time depth recorder and a radio tag.

Penelope has since moved down the beach, to another large harem called Tarsands. We will continue to watch her everyday to find out when she has her pup. As of this evening….it hasn't been born yet!