Northern Elephant Seal
Mirounga angustirostris
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyPhocidae (Earless Seals)
- GenusMirounga (Elephant Seals)
- SpeciesMirounga angustirostris (Northern Elephant Seal)
The northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) or northern sea elephant, is one of two species of elephant seal (the other is the southern elephant seal). It is a member of the family Phocidae (true seals). Elephant seals derive their name from their great size and from the male's large proboscis. Sexual dimorphism in size is great. Correspondingly, the mating system is highly polygynous; a successful male is able to impregnate up to 50 females in one season. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Elephant Seal sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 81 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Olympic National Park
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
Sea Otter
Enhydra lutris
Northern Sea Lion
Eumetopias jubatus
California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Mountain Lion
Puma concolor
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Coyote
Canis latrans
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Coastal Marten
Martes caurina
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Northern Elephant Seal in Olympic National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Elephant Seal sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 81 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Northern Elephant Seal in Olympic National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Northern Elephant Seal in Olympic National Park in our monthly data.