Elephant Seals Blog

E Seal Juvies Are Testing New Tags!

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:49:51 -0800

Nicole Marie Teutschel at Long Marine Lab, Santa Cruz, CA--As adult northern elephant seals are at sea, juveniles dominate the beaches at Año Nuevo. Most TOPP E Seal research focuses on adult animals, this fall there was we partnered with Sean Hayes at NOAA to test some new tagging technology with a biologging study with juvenile E Seals.

Where are the weaners!?

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:59:55 -0800

Nicole Teutschel at UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab, CA-- Looking around the harems at Año Nuevo this time of year you see fighting males, females leaving the beach, and pups constantly being weaned. However, few weaners are hanging around the harems...where do the rest of the weaners go?

Weaners are what we call E Seal pups after they've been weaned. Pups are born and nursed for only 27 days before their mother simply takes off, often while the pups are fast asleep. Thus leaving the weaners to fend for themselves on the beach.

A New E Seal Record!

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:04:58 -0800

Nicole Teutschel at UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab, CA-- There's news from the beach! The oldest E Seal to give birth at Año Nuevo State Reserve is is 23 year old G959. G959 was flipper tagged as an adult in 1990. Tagged as an adult means that she was at least 4 years old at the time of tagging. Counting back, G959 is at least 23 years old!

Jon Sealwart Everybody!! Today, Can Loser Males Have Hope Too??

ErinPickett — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:34:29 -0800

Erin Pickett at Año Nuevo State Reserve, CA-- The E Seal team at Ano isn't so sure about Jon's future as an alpha, or a beta for that matter. Come to think of it, if the hierarchy of male elephant seals were classified to go lower, Jon would be lower than that. Recently, he hasn't even been spotted sleeping with other losers. Instead he rests completely alone amidst sand, driftwood, and the occasional smudge of seagull poop. It's almost as if he was called hideous on national TV. Oh wait! That was Stelephant...

Penelope Returns!

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:20:18 -0800

Nicole Teutschel at UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab, CA--Penelope has once again graced Año Nuevo State Reserve with her presence! After another long foraging trip at sea, Penelope has returned to give birth to her 7th pup. Last winter Penelope was returning to shore wearing satellite, time depth recorder, and vhf tags. Penelope's tags were recovered shortly after she had her pup.

E Seal Update

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:56:00 -0800

Nicole Teutschel at Año Nuevo State Reserve, CA-- The elephant seal breeding season has reached its peak! This week is when we find the greatest number of elephant seals hauled out along beaches of Año Nuevo State Reserve in Northern California.

Meet Ashley!

AshleyPearson — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:19:47 -0800

Ashley Pearson at Año Nuevo State Reserve, CA-- Hey, I'm Ashley Pearson! Nice to meet you, TOPP.org! I'm a senior biology major at UCSC, and I'm doing a senior thesis through the Costa lab at Long Marine Lab. As part of my thesis, I have become a member of the TOPP E Seal team! From time to time I will blog about the my project and the animals we work with.

Sebastian's Tracks

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:43:31 -0800

Nicole Teutschel at UC Santa Cruz, Long Marine Lab--Today the E Seal Team got a glimpse into where Sebastian traveled during his 5 month journey at sea. Sebastian is an adult male elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris, satellite tagged by TOPP last summer.

Sebastian's Tags Recovered!

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:11:07 -0800

Nicole Teutschel at Año Nuevo State Reserve, CA--The northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris, breeding season has begun! Today the TOPP E Seal Team recovered our first satellite tag of the season. The tags were recovered from Sebastian, one big adult male! Sebastian is featured online via live tracks as well as at the Elephant Seal Homecoming Days Page (coming soon!).

Ellies on Nova TV

NicoleMarieTeutschel — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:58:28 -0800

Nicole Teutschel from UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab, CA-- Northern elephant seals and other local pinniped species will be featured in a film on NOVA on Tuesday, November 25th at 8 pm (local listings may vary).