Bull Northern Elephant Seal establishing its territory:

Male elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are easy to recognize by to their most conspicuous feature, proboscis. Simply put, it is a bulbous nose which comes with a sack-like appendage. Expanding the proboscis enables an elephant seal to amplify snorts, grunts, and loud, drum-like bellows that can be heard several miles away to ward off rival males, stopping fights before they start.

I've recorded this video just few weeks ago at the Point Reyes National Seashore, California. These seals are easy to view from the Elephant Seal Overlook located at the Chimney Rock trailhead. Winter at Point Reyes, is a breeding season for these fascinating mammals and the best time to see and study their behavior. If you are interested, you can find more information, here: http://www.sfnps.org/download_product/3206/0 and here: https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/wildlife_viewing_elephantseals.htm

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