Scientific Name – Mirounga

Classification – Mirounga

Gender Names – Male – bull; Female – cow; Baby – pup

Collective Noun – Colony, herd, pod, rookery, harem

Length/Size – 3m – 5m (10ft – 16ft)

Weight – 900kg – 3,000kg (2,000lbs – 6,000lbs)

Top Speed – 19km/h (12mph)

Life Expectancy – 9 years (northern subspecies); 20 to 22 years (southern subspecies)

Gestation Period – About 11 months

Special Features – Milk produced by elephant seals is significantly high in milkfat (50%) as against human (4%) and cow (3.5%) milk

Social Structure – Live in herds; during breeding season males define and defend territories, collecting a harem of 40 to 50 females

Geographical Distribution – Eastern Pacific Ocean

Natural Habitat – Offshore islands and remote mainland beaches

World Population – 650,000

Conservation Status – Least Concern

Diet – Fish, Squid, Octopus

Predators – Human, Sharks, Killer Whales