Mirounga angustirostris can be seen along the beaches of Pt. Reyes National Seashore where they haul-out to give birth, breed and molt in the winter months. The huge males can be over 16 ft long and weigh several tons, the entire species was nearly hunted to extinction for their prized oil (one individual male was recorded to yield 210 gallons). Since the late 1800s they’ve been legally protected in their native range and their numbers have grown into the thousands.
For more info: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/northern-elephant-seal
