Nicole Teutschel at UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab, CA-- The latest news from Penelope is... her pup is a boy! Penelope, wore satellite tags last winter as a part of TOPP’s elephant seal tagging program. Penelope had her tags recovered, or removed, about one year ago.

This year, Penelope chose the same harem to give birth to her son. Penelope can be seen at Tarsands Central, a very large harem at Ano Nuevo State Reserve.

So how did we recognize P? Her flipper tags of course! TOPP uses little plastic flipper tags to keep track of seals from year to year. Each year, a few hundred weanlings receive flipper tags. In addition, TOPP makes sure that all study animals have more than one flipper tag so that we can continue to observe them on land each year.

Penelope, looking ahead, with her pup leaning on her side (right). Also, notice the green flipper tag on the seal in front of Penelope. Photo: Lauren Randall

That’s easier said than done, as we’ve described in earlier blogs. Little flipper tags on big sandy flippers, can be a challenge to read! Nevertheless, the TOPP team is relentless in their quest to sight, note, and monitor flipper tagged animals while they are on shore. Penelope’s tag reads: N981, a familiar number to us all!

All and all, Penelope looks good! She may seem a little skinnier than you remember, but that’s only because these photos were taken when she had already been fasting and nursing her pup for 2-3 weeks.

Penelope, in her harem looking on towards incoming males. Here you can see that her glue patches are no longer on her fur. She lost them last spring she molted off her fur. Photo: Lauren Randall.

If you’re planning a trip to Ano Nuevo State Reserve soon, check out Penelope! She’s in the second group from the dune on the waters edge, at Tarsands Central. Tarsands is the first big harem you come to along the trail. Ask your docent if you want help spotting her! Bring you binoculars, she has two hair dye marks, each reading “N981”. Sometimes seals are covered in sand and hard to spot, but she and her big pup will be there for a week or two more. Keep your eyes peeled!

Penelope is a part of Elephant Seal Homecoming Days at TOPP.org. Learn more.