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).

Back in late March and early April, we put out 5 tags on weaned elephant seal pups.  We chose weaners whose mothers had carried TOPP satellite tags.  Our hope was to see if their first trip to sea looked anything like moms.  Four of the 5 weaners headed north up the coast.  The other one went southwest.  The tags we put on had a limited life--only 3 months, so we knew we weren't going to get their whole trip before the tag gave out.  Several of the tags lasted longer than we expected--one is still transmitting.  The weaner that is wearing the remaining transmitting tag is in the

We put out the first 2 tags on molted adult male elephant seals at Ano Nuevo today.  These large males have been molting (growing new skin and fur) for the last month.  Male eseals come to land for two reasons, to grow new fur and to breed.  So, now that they have accomplished #1, they are off with their new coat of fur to start their foraging trip before the big show--the breeding season.  When they leave they will most likely head to the Aleutians (we will see where they actually go) to build up their body reserves to try to be the biggest, baddest male on the beach and thus to win th