Elephant Seals

[Mike Spinak]

Recently, I spent some time photographing elephant seals at Piedras Blancas (near Hearst Castle). I used a variety of focal lengths: 300, 420, 600, 840, and 1200 mm. (I used a 300 and a 600, with and without 1.4 x and a 2x teleconverters.) I shot the morning shots with natural light, and the afternoon shots (when the animals were backlit with very harsh light) with fill flash, with a Better Beamer extender on my flash.

Here are some of the shots.

This is one of the more "Rated G" shots of elephant seals mating:

© Mike Spinak

Here's the birth of an elephant seal:

© Mike Spinak

Here are a couple of elephant seal cows facing off, over territory to raise their young:

© Mike Spinak

Here are a couple elephant seal cows in a vicious fight (Note that, in this picture, one of them has its lower left fang gouged into the other's throat, just below the jawbone):

©Mike Spinak

 

[Mike Spinak]

Here is a young bull elephant seal, trumpeting and barking with rage:

©Mike Spinak

Here is a fight between two young bull elephant seals, one biting the other in the back, the other howling in agony):

©Mike Spinak

I still have many pictures to sort through, so I'll post more, later. Also, I'll be back to discuss these, later, when I have more time.

I hope you enjoy.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Very nice sharp images, That isn't something I've seen before. Thanks for sharing.

 

[janet Smith]

Here is a young bull elephant seal, trumpeting and barking with rage:
I hope you enjoy.

Hi Mike

I certainly did enjoy, he looks one very angry young bull, brilliant capture....

 

[Asher Kelman]

I wonder what their immune systems are like in dealing with all the gashes from fighting? Sharks have really advanced systems and just dont hardly ever get infacted.

Asher

 

[janet Smith]

I wonder what their immune systems are like in dealing with all the gashes from fighting? Sharks have really advanced systems and just dont hardly ever get infacted

Hi Asher

I watched an interesting documentary about crocodiles some time ago, they were researching into their immune systems as they almost never acquire an infection despite having frequent severe injuries and apparently often live in foul water. They went on to develop a new anti-b called "Crocodilin" I don't know if it ever got to the clinical trials stage.....