Alex uses a Pro-cam video camera at Race Rocks to take video and some still images of the Elephant seals close up. In this sequence, taken on the day after the birth of the elephant seal. He places the camera and then leaves, capturing an interesting sequence as the pup tries to find milk and the Male “Chunk” starts to get aggressive. Click on the small icon in the lower right for a full screen image
Tag Archives: Chunk
Family has relocated on Great Race Rocks
Bertha has certainly been cooperating this year in remaining in view on at least one of the cameras at Race Rocks. On this bright sunny day she is on the rocks over behind the boathouse with the Pup.
 Pup and Bertha from Remote camera 1 on the top of the Lighthouse. |
 Today its the first day that Chunk has stayed out on the middle islands with another female. |
kayak disturbance, tagged e-seals, pup, etc
Wind has varied between W and NE less than 20 NMPH over the past few days. We have had some patches of fog during the week and partly clear skies today and yesterday.
On the 15th a group of 20 kayakers passed through the reserve on the East side heading West. They passed on both sides of East rock and caused one of the largest sea lion disturbances I have seen here, several hundred sealions scrambled into the water. I was able to talk to one of the kayakers as they passed by the south side and told him that they are not allowed to cause this kind of disturbance to marine mammals at race rocks. Though I love kayaking and prefer kayaks to motorized vessels, kayakers need to realize that because they are so nice and silent they can also easily surprise wildlife. Once startled sealions stampede and can easily trample younger sealions or injure themselves rushing over the jagged rocks.
1 dive boat in the reserve today, 1 eco tour in the afternoon, 1 sports fishing boat in the morning which traveled too close to sealions on the East rocks. I called Pedder Bay Marina and gave them the ID number and a description and asked them to talk to the operator about regulations at Race Rocks (thanks Pedder Bay Marina!).
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- go pro camera anchored on a 9lb maul head got a bit run over
The elephant seal pup seems to be in good shape and is drinking milk regularly. Chunk seems fairly well behaved, a few times a day he we will arise from his slumber and chase after Bertha. Sometimes it seems he is trying to separate her from the pup and restrain her. I have seen him with his mouth around the pup’s head as well as with the pup partly underneath him though on all occasions I have observed he has clearly not harmed the pup when he easily could have. Chunk went off the island last night, I assume to middle rock and was back in the morning. There are two elephant seals on middle rock, both fairly large, one possibly a young male. I have been hearing what sounds like a male’s call coming from middle rock today. There were also two smaller scruffy, moulting female elephant seals in the shoreline of the main island today one tagged green 7502 the other tagged pink N93_ the last number is not visible. That brings the current e-seal population to 7.
Past week maintenance:
-cleaned solar panels daily
-flushed media filter on desal
-changed pre-filters on desal
-troubleshooting cam 5 with help from Jonathan, replaced POE unit. took measurements to replace leaky cable housing at base of cam stand
-ran desal x2
-ran fire pump
-replaced leaky hydraulic line on crane, pressure tested line
-cut, chopped, stacked fire wood
-replaced fire extinguishers which had been sent in for annual servicing
-brought temporary fire extinguishers off island for servicing
-troubleshooting of failed internet system with help from Jonathan
-swapped out 1 propane tank on main house
Visitors this week:
-on the 15th Erik came with a guest to drop off supplies
-on the 16th Erik brought Jonathan out to replace switch in the tower as well as the Marine sciences class for a field trip (12 students and Ann)
Elephant seals more durable than internet networks
I checked on the pup briefly this morning (so far unnamed as we will wait for a while to make sure he has a good chance of survival.) I said “he” because Alex thinks it is probably a male because of a tell-tale opening midway from umbilical to tail.
This picture taken at 11:15 AM from camera 1 shows all is well and the male Chunk (top) is not bothering the pup or the female.
Hopefully you can take advantage of the documentation we have on the website of our observations of elephant seals at Race Rocks Ecological reserve.……more tomorrow…..
Elephant seal Pup at Race Rocks Jan 15, 2014
These are images taken yesterday of the new elephant seal pup at Race Rocks . (by resident Ecoguardian Alex Fletcher). The pup has been nursing regularly and the male “Chunk” is not bothering it so far.
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- A touch of milk on the whiskers!
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- They are close to the marine science centre.
The students of the Marine Science classes from Lester Pearson College were able to get out to Race Rocks to observe the new arrival first hand from a safe distance. 
Westerly
Over the past 5 days we have had strong westerly winds reaching over 40 NMPH most days (in the evening) and over 50
NMPH on Saturday evening. There have been heavy swells as a result. Because of bad weather/low light I am having to run the generator longer most days, around 3 hours to charge batteries, than usual.
Chunk has mostly remained on main island with Bertha who continues to resist his advances. We are approaching the date when she gave birth two years ago. I have not been able to see the pup on middle rock for several days. The weather has made it harder to get a view over there.
On Thursday the 9th, 12 bald eagles were observed in the reserve. Still havent been able to get banding info on black oyster catchers.
Wednesday, Jan 8th: 1 charter fishing boat toured through reserve, 1 CG helicopter flew over.
Monday, Jan 13th: 1 CG helicopter flew over.
-securing things from wind
-following up on woodstove
-following up on furnace servicing
-cleaning solar panels
-fire wood cutting when weather permits
Elephant seal pup born on Middle Rocks
Rain, wind N 10-15 NMPH
Chunk started going after Bertha around noon and was definitely trying to mate but without any luck. He also seemed interested in something towards the West and was sniffing the air and poking his head up. When i went outside to check on things I could hear the distinct sound of an elephant seal pup calling its mother. Chunk and I both went over to the west side of the island to get a better look. I could see two females on the rock and several eagles and seagulls around hoping to get some leftovers from the birth. I could just make our the dark head of a pup poking up occasionally from behind a rock. Chunk left the island and by dusk I could see him on Middle rock near the mother and pup. Bertha is back by the science centre getting some peace and rest.
Chunk and Bertha
Partly cloudy, wind 10-15 NMPH N-NE.
This morning Chunk was on the island taking an interest in Bertha. He chased her around a bit and made what appeared to be mating attempts. She growled at him and resisted.
Bertha returns
Wind was gusting up to 45 NMPH W overnight, blowing 30 NMPH in the morning and diminished to calm by afternoon. The sky cleared up during the day.
Bertha arrived back on Great Race today, she looks good and pretty big. In 2011 she gave birth to a pup (Squall) here on January 14. The other elephant seals are on Middle rock, it looks like 4 females and Chunk out there. There seemed to be another large female next to Chunk.
See the Elephant seal Index for other Elephant seal births at Race Rocks
A coast guard helicopter flew over in the morning, one ecotour vessel entered the reserve in the afternoon.
-cleaned panels
-replaced flag
-finished month end report
-did animal census
-cleaned cam 5 dome
-gathered drift wood from East shore
-cut, chopped wood
Westerly, speeding, visitors
Monday a west wind picked up over night and was blowing over 20 knots most of the day with gusts over 40 knots. The wind diminished over night and was calm on Tuesday. I had been planning on picking up some guests Monday but it was too windy so rescheduled for Tuesday morning. Tuesday was partly sunny and today there has been a light N wind and partly cloudy sky. I went off island today for a short christmas visit with family.
On Tuesday a private sports fishing boat traveled through the reserve well in excess of the 7knot speed limit (within 400m of rocks). I signalled to the boat to slow down, they saw me and slowed down but not enough. I photographed the boat and got ID numbers and made a request to Pedder Bay Marina to check if it was a boat returning to their marina and if they could speak to the operator about the speed limit in the reserve.
On Sunday Chunk left great race and returned to Middle rock. There has been one moulting female elephant seal hauled out in the rocks in south bay.
-cut fire wood
-pulled in log from water
-cleaned solar panels
-2 visitors (arrived Tuesday)