Author Archives: Carol and Mike Slater

July-November 2008 elephant seal notes

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July 28 2008 Blasting by the DND sent the 5 newly returned sea lions into water. Slash hits the water to cruise by the dock. 18 Ecotour boats sited in channel close to sea lions (also later main dock where Slash was lying by boat house).

Aug 20. 2008: Three males, slash absent.

Sept. 23, 2008 One juvenile male elephant seal was up on the lawn by the science house.. Slash has not been around for some time now.

Oct. 27, 2008: possibly one male out on middle rock.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66339356@N00/2965657528/in/set-72157607795979132/

 For November of 2008  they have been absent. We expect them back in mid December.

Data Compiled by Garry Fletcher, Nov. 29, 2008

June July 2008-slash moulting

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June 12, 2008: Erik and Garry checked out and photographed the reported entangled elephant seal on Middle Rock. File opened at http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/miroungaa/roped.htm

June 17, 2008 One elephant seal on Middle island, and Slash, our favourite old elephant seal hauled out on Great Race again this morning, but he had moved over to middle island in the afternoon. The entangled one we saw last week was not around this afternoon.

July 12, 2008 Slash moulting (PB photo)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66339356@N00/2672749236/in/set-72157605939335337/

July 21 2008. Slash on Great Race behind boathouse.

July 23, 2008: Elephant seal changed location; now behind boat house.

Slash spent from 5:00PM to 8:00 PM in the sea, otherwise up behind boathouse. ( preset 1 on cam 1) He has 3/4 of his old hair moulted off, new light gray color beneath. The old hair was light brown.

July 24, 2008 Slash moved down again to the shade of the Workshop as it is very hot at noon.

July 25, 2008 Slash now moved up to his spot on the lawn west of the Science house. (Can be seen on camera2)

One other male elephant seal and one smaller female remain out on the Middle rock.

Marine mammal Census May-June 2008

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May 4 2008: photo in census file showing at least 3 elephant seals on Middle rock.

June 3 2008 Three male elephant seals were observed on middle rock. Two California and 1 Northern sealion are all that are left on the islands.

June 10, 2008 No Sea lions were seen. Very few harbour seals are around today. Estimated 10.

Two elephant seals on middle island, old Slash and one juvenile male ( dark colored)

Census birds and mammals

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Dec 25, 2003:  Pinniped census in the reserve: (Animals hauled out) —North Rock :0 Middle Rocks : Northern Sealions:65, California Sealions:1 —–Great Race Rocks : Northern Sealions: 8, California Sealions: 4 Harbour seals:7, Elephant seal :1(Male) West Race Rocks California Sealiion: 1 ( About one third of the animals observed were very young ) . Weather conditions: Wind West 32 , Sea 3′- Heavy Swell. Other noteworthy sightings : We estimated approximately 2500-3000 Herring Gulls on the island today.

move out of the big fellow’s way as he ambles along the sidewalk to ‘his’ spot.

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July 22, 2003: The 2 smallish elephant seals still hauled out and staying close to each other.The big fellow continues to haul out behind the boat house for a time each day.The three do not interact, in fact the 2 smaller ones do their best to move out of the big fellow’s way as he ambles along the sidewalk to ‘his’ spot.

Marine mammal census in April

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 April 3, 2003: Did a boat trip around West Race and the Middle rocks and counted 11 Elephant Seals hauled out.There were 3 fairly large males and the rest assorted smaller males and females.The one big fellow that has been hauled out near the boat house for the last few weeks was floating about just off the south tip of the middle rock.There were 5 Northern and 14 California Sea Lions also hauled out with the Elephant seals

April 6, 2003: There were 13 Elephant Seals,12 hauled out on Middle Rock and the one large male floating about close to the shore this afternoon.The Elephant Seals have been joined by about 20 California and 9 Northern Sea Lions

April 14, 2003: There were about 35 California and 9 Northern Sea Lions hauled out on Middle rock with the Elephant Seals.

Just the one Elephant Seal today

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March 17, 2003: The larger Elephant Seal in his favoured spot but the ‘recovered’ one spent quite some time trying to plan a route to the water-he moved down to the ramp but seemed reluctant to get too close to the other which had spread himself across the tracks, so he went overland! 3/4 of the distance was fairly soft grass but the last 20 ft. was a rough and rocky descent just east of the winch house.

March 20, 2003: The Elephant Seal that seemed a permanent fixture on the ramp slipped into the water early this morning and has not returned-miss seeing and hearing.

Mar 26, 2003: Just the one Elephant Seal today in his usual spot on the boat ramp

March 27, 2003: The Elephant Seal took to the water just after 7 this morning and had not returned by dark, did not hear him at all, he may have hauled out on one of the other rocks.

with the blowing snow and NE wind at 30+ knts.

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March 2,2003: The 2 Elephant Seals still spending most of the day hauled out on Gr. Race,the one that had been injured prefers an inland spot while the other one favours the boat ramp.We hear them after midnight,they can be quite noisy going and returning from feeding.

March 5,2003: The 2 Elephant Seals are still hauled out, the ‘roamer has stayed tucked in behind the boat house out of the wind.The other has become a fixture by the boat house door.

March 6, 2003: They tied their boat at the outer end of the dock, maybe a little intimidated by the Elephant Seal stretched out on the ramp,but most likely they didn’t want to disturb him. He is actually very docile especially if you approach him slowly and carefully.

March 7,2003: Both Elephant Seals still hauled out most of the day,one on the ramp and the other a bit restless today moving from place to place,ended up behind the boat house.

March 8, 2003: The Elephant Seals took to the water which at 7.4? would be warmer than the air at 0? with the blowing snow and NE wind at 30+ knts.

March 10, 2003: The 2 Elephant Seals hauled out all day in their usual spots.

March 13, 2003: he one Elephant Seal we call the roamer did not haul out today but the other big fellow moved up out of the way of the swells on the ramp and spent the whole day with his nose literally pressed against the boat house door