I’m too sexy for this beach.
Birds do it. Bees do it. Elephant seals certainly do it, but do they really need to be so rapey about it? It’s enough to make you wonder whether the males wouldn’t benefit more generally from some anger management classes.
Awww, isn’t that cute?
Yikes!
That’s at least what I found myself thinking while watching the antics of these behemoths at a rookery along the California coast near the Piedras Blancas lighthouse.
When not sleeping, the males were either rearing up to fight one another or using their enormous weight to pound a female into submission; often oblivious to the pups that sometimes got caught, and squashed, in the melee.
Judging from the large numbers of animals we saw, this breeding practice apparently yields more offspring than it kills. So good for them. But it does make you wonder, “Can’t we all just get along?”
Everywhere Once 
Now, who’s going to offer anger management? Bagsey not me!
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You ask a good question. Maybe we could recruit Gray Whales to help. They certainly seem to know how to, um, do it.
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Great pictures. I’d love to see them in person! Some day (sigh)
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I love the pictures as well!!! Hope I can see them in real…
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AMAZING Captures – love the elephant seals!!! Happy Friday:)
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Amazing animals but I have to agree with you. The males are so violent. I saw a special once on them once and it was disturbing to say the least.
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We felt the same way watching them.
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Great pictures. When I saw them (2009) same place they appeared lumps of flesh oblivious of surroundings.
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They do that pretty well too. Although as pure lumps go, I think the harbor seals have them beat.
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They are not very attractive animals…especially the males.
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Maybe that’s why they’re so angry. 🙂
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I never knew “rapey” was a word — but how perfect for this post!! Loved the photos!
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I’m not sure that it is a real word. But it seemed to convey the situation without being too serious.
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We don’t need to judge animal behaviour in the same way as we do human behaviour. Being a wild animal is a harsh life that’s almost never “fair”. I see it as fascinating and maybe a tad disturbing sometimes but I’ve never let it upset me. We’ve all got our work cut out for us trying to be good people and helping others to do the same – there’s no point creating extra work by worrying about what the animals are doing too 🙂
PS. Awesome photos as always
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Great photos
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Hello, I am interested in using one of your photos in a campaign I am doing with Save Our Shores. Please email me at amigail.vallarta@gmail.com so I can give your more information.
Thank you.
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