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Northern Elephant Seal

Mirounga angustirostris

Mammal · family Phocidae · order Carnivora

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Northern Elephant Seal
Photo: Mike Baird , bairdphotos.com, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
3 states[3]
Typical length
256 in[4]

The Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris) is a large mammal in the seal family Phocidae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act and is native to Alaska, California and Oregon[1][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the Northern Elephant Seal G5 (Secure) worldwide and N4 (Apparently Secure) in the United States[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1]. That means it has no federal listing, which is different from saying it faces no risk. NatureServe notes it was nearly hunted to extinction in the past and its numbers have grown since the late 1800s[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N4 (Apparently Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where Northern Elephant Seal lives

NatureServe lists the Northern Elephant Seal as native in 3 US states and territories: Alaska, California and Oregon[3]. NatureServe state ranks for those 3 states are shown in the table on this page[10]. People also report it on GBIF in Washington and Michigan, but those are observation records and not a native range[11]. National Park Service lists record it in 5 park units[12].

Alaska: native, state rank S4AKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: native, state rank SNAORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (3 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS4Apparently Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
OregonSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe records sand and dunes, bare rock, tidal flats, near shore waters and open deep water as habitat[13]. The seals feed at sea and come ashore to breed and molt (shed and regrow their skin and hair)[14]. When at sea, they spend little time at the surface and are often at depths of several hundred meters[14].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size and diet

The typical length recorded by NatureServe is 650 cm (256 in) and the typical adult weight is 3500 kg (7716 lb)[4][15]. EltonTraits estimates the diet at 60% invertebrates and 40% fish[16]. NatureServe notes say they eat mostly squid, along with fish such as hake[17]. They are exceptional divers and sometimes go deeper than 1,500 meters[17]. A female has a single pup, and pups are weaned in 4 weeks[18].

Trait Value
Typical length[4] 650 cm (256 in)
Typical adult weight[15] 3500 kg (7716 lb)
Food habits[19] Piscivore, Invertivore
Active[20] crepuscular, diurnal
Migration[21] local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 60% invertebrates
  • 40% fish

When to look for it

Adult females and young seals return to shore to molt in April and May, and males come back to molt in late spring and summer[22]. Pups are born mostly in February, and most adults have left the breeding beaches by then[18]. Over about 12 months, the seals travel between breeding, molting and feeding areas, covering about 20,000 km in a year[23]. GBIF records in the United States are highest in January, February and April, which reflects when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].

January: 1,451 recordsJanFebruary: 1,154 recordsFebMarch: 1,090 recordsMarApril: 1,134 recordsAprMay: 996 recordsMayJune: 788 recordsJunJuly: 922 recordsJulAugust: 927 recordsAugSeptember: 666 recordsSepOctober: 570 recordsOctNovember: 650 recordsNovDecember: 881 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,451
February1,154
March1,090
April1,134
May996
June788
July922
August927
September666
October570
November650
December881

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Northern Elephant Seal as present in 5 park units[12]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Michigan[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Northern Elephant Seal endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide[2].
Where does the Northern Elephant Seal live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Alaska, California and Oregon[3]. It feeds at sea and comes ashore on beaches to breed and molt[14].
What does the Northern Elephant Seal eat?
NatureServe notes say it eats mostly squid, plus fish such as hake[17]. EltonTraits estimates 60% invertebrates and 40% fish[16].
How big is a Northern Elephant Seal?
The typical length recorded is 650 cm (256 in) and the typical adult weight is 3500 kg (7716 lb)[4][15].
When can you see Northern Elephant Seals?
Adult females and young seals come ashore to molt in April and May, and pups are born mostly in February[22][18]. GBIF records are highest in January, February and April[24].

Facts and sources

  1. Northern Elephant Seal is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Northern Elephant Seal: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Northern Elephant Seal as native in 3 US states and territories: Alaska, California, Oregon. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 650 cm (256 in). NatureServe Explorer
  5. Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris) is a mammal in the family Phocidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe notes on trend for Northern Elephant Seal. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Northern Elephant Seal (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Northern Elephant Seal: California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Michigan. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. NPSpecies park lists recording Northern Elephant Seal as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Northern Elephant Seal: Sand/dune, Bare rock/talus/scree, Tidal flat/shore, Pelagic, Abyssal, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on habitat for Northern Elephant Seal. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 3500 kg (7716 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 60% invertebrates, 40% fish. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. NatureServe notes on food for Northern Elephant Seal. NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Northern Elephant Seal. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  20. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: crepuscular, diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  21. NatureServe migration category for Northern Elephant Seal: local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  22. NatureServe notes on phenology for Northern Elephant Seal. NatureServe Explorer
  23. NatureServe notes on migration for Northern Elephant Seal. NatureServe Explorer
  24. GBIF observation records of Northern Elephant Seal in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Mike Baird , bairdphotos.com, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.