Blasting by the DND sent the 5 newly returned sea lions into water.
Slash hits the water to cruise by the dock.
18 eco-tour boats sited in channel close to sea lions (also later main dock where Slash was lying by boat house). Some of which were the following tour companies Sooke Coastal Expeditions (multiple returns)
Springtide , Eaglewing Tours., Five Star Whale Watching, Great Pacific Adventures, Prince Whales, Whale Watching (multiple returns) Laurie
Slash the elephant seal male was having a good sleep in the morning behind the boathouse.
I took this video clip of our resident elephant seal “Slash” asleep in one of his favourite spots behind the boathouse at Race Rocks. At 8:00 am he was in a deep sleep, interrupted only by the kelp flies on his face and a few itchy spots on his body. What was remarkable was the recurring pattern of breath holding. I made this video as a study of this aspect of what appears to be intentional sleep apnea. Since the filming was uninterrupted, one can time the various phases of a breathing cycle. Labels on the video point out the beginning and end of one such breath-holding cycle. I observed that he repeated a similar pattern for at least 15 minutes, the length of time I as was able to observe. GF.
Listen for the sounds and watch for the flaring nostrils.
You can see more elephant seal images and videos in the Elephant Seal Taxonomy.
West Coast Wildlife Adventures approached to view the elephant seal within 10 meters of the seal. I advised him he was too close since slash was there basking in the water. He had moved in to get a close look from a few metres. Images placed on ecotourism page on web. This is not the first whale watching boat that is coming in too close this season. With seal pups in the water this is a dangerous thing to do. See the ecotourism page for more information.’, ‘Garry’, ’12:41:23′),
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.
Slash in July 2006
We were getting so many pictures of our favourite elephant seal, “Slash” that I thought I might as well open up a page just for him. Slash has provided an excellent opportunity to study this very large marine mammal. In January 2003, two male elephant seals were hauled up on Great Race island. One was suffering from severe injuries.
This elephant seal we eventually name “Slash” and he became a docile elephant seal that hung around the main island for many years.He first sought shelter on the main Island, Great Race Rocks back in January of 2003. A boater had run over this elephant seal leaving large gashes on his head and spiral-like cuts along his body. Mike Slater, our guardian at the Rocks saw him hauled out at the end of the boat ramp and recorded the first video below. During all of 2003, he spent most of his hours sleeping up on the grassed areas of Great Race Rocks. He became very used to humans as long as one kept a respectable distance of at least 2 meters, and was prepared to move out of the way when he decided to change locations, he is very tolerant of people.
See MPA Guardian Carol Slater’s comments on these animals in the Daily log of Jan19, Feb 11, Feb13, Feb 14 and Mar 1, 2003
Here is Slash in July and August of 2003. Fortunately he has recovered well as can be seen here in this video taken by Mike Slater in July 2003
In July 2008, I took the video clip above of our resident elephant seal “Slash” asleep in one of his favourite spots behind the boathouse at Race Rocks. At 8:00 am he was in a deep sleep, interrupted only by the kelp flies on his face and a few itchy spots on his body. What was remarkable was the recurring pattern of breath holding. I made this video as a study of this aspect of what appears to be intentional sleep apnea. Since the filming was uninterrupted, one can time the various phases of a breathing cycle. Labels on the video point out the beginning and end of one such breath-holding cycle. I observed that he repeated a similar pattern for at least 15 minutes, the length of time I as was able to observe. GF.
Listen for the sounds and watch for the flaring nostrils.
You can see more elephant seal images and videos in the Elephant Seal Taxonomy.https://racerocks.ca/mirounga-angustirostris-taxonomy-and-image-file/
| “From a scientific point of view I know its bad form to anthropomorphize when considering animal behaviour. So perhaps just say that we are reserving this page for any and all aspects of the human experience with an elephant seal. |
| I thought about opening a new page after spending several days in July 2008 at Race Rocks relieving for Mike and Carol Slater when they were on holidays. I spent some quiet time with Slash, took video and many pictures and then when the spouse of faculty member Arno Dirks, Laurie Tomin took over at Race Rocks for a few days to get caught up on some writing, her e-mail provoked me to action as it had a rather nice message: ” GF
“So, back to Slash. He’s my rock star here. Not a dude of action, but of mystery and suspense. I gave up, had some lunch, and later returned to see 2 eco-tour boats ca. 10 meters off the dock and Slash–well it seemed as though he was waiting! I sat quite close, had a chat with him–for he did not seem to mind my presence at all. He looked at me occasionally, sometimes he breathed heavily through his nostrils (was he exercising them for a swim?), yep, thats all about he did. When the boats left, he moved down a bit more…and a bit more…(lots of waiting and suspense in between starts and stops). The longest and most fascinating stretch was a blubbery inch-worm movement to the water’s edge. There he sat, half in half out of the water and splashed some water on his back with his left fin. He hung out like this for about 15 minutes. Again, I sat close to him on the dock. Always with a little scramble distance–though I can’t say I was afraid at all. Wouldn’t want to scare or annoy him though! Then Slash gently slipped into the water. He looks enormous and prehistoric when he swims–also very slowly. Sometimes stopping, clearing his nostrils, looking at me. Then he swam slowly to the other side of the dock, doing much the same until he decided to swim off. Big day. I feel very lucky to be here!
 Slash on middle Island December 2009 where the entangled sea lion was trapped. See this and other pictures of Slash on Ryan Murphy’s Flickr site.
In the following years Slash failed to return in the winter. . We can assume he met his end, but we are gratefull for the many years of good memories of his presence at Race Rocks |
SLASH : Up close and personal with an elephant seal.
We were getting so many pictures of our favourite elephant seal, “Slash” that I thought I might as well open up a page just for him. Slash has provided an excellent opportunity to study this very large marine mammal. We think these pictures by Angus Matthews in December of 2002 are the first we have of Slash at Race Rocks:
He first sought shelter on the main Island Great Race Rocks back in January of 2003. A boater had run over this elephant seal leaving large gashes on his head and spiral-like cuts along his body. Mike Slater, our ecoguardian at the Rocks saw him hauled out at the end of the boat ramp and recorded this first video. Because of his injuries, Mike named him “Slash” During all of 2003, he spent most of his hours sleeping up on the grassed areas of Great Race Rocks. He became very used to humans and now as long as one keeps a respectable distance of at least 2 meters, and is prepared to move out of the way when he decides to change locations, he is very tolerant of people.
Slash receives some serious injuries when a motor boat runs over him.
Slash
Slash recovered with scars a year and a half later .
“From a scientific point of view I know its bad form to anthropomorphize when considering animal behaviour. So perhaps just say that we are allowing this page for any and all aspects of the human experience with an elephant seal.
I thought about opening a new page after spending several days in July 2008 at Race Rocks relieving for Mike and Carol Slater when they were on holidays. I spent some quiet time with Slash, took video and many pictures and then when Laurie Tomin was out at Race Rocks for a few days to get caught up on some writing, her e-mail provoked me to action as it had a rather nice message: ” Garry Fletcher
In July 2008, I took this video clip of our resident elephant seal “Slash” asleep in one of his favourite spots behind the boathouse at Race Rocks. At 8:00 am he was in a deep sleep, interrupted only by the kelp flies on his face and a few itchy spots on his body. What was remarkable was the recurring pattern of breath holding. I made this video as a study of this aspect of what appears to be intentional sleep apnea. Since the filming was un-interupted, one can time the various phases of a breathing cycle. Labels on the video point out the beginning and end of one such breath-holding cycle. I observed that he repeated a similar pattern for at least 15 minutes, as that was the length of time I was able to observe. Listen for the sounds and watch for the flaring nostrils.
In 2006 I took a set of photos of various parts of his body. This file has a gallery of those photos :
July 20, 2008
Slash was so docile, one could approach closely without disturbing him. These images are from an afternoon in July , 2008,
Ryan took this image and added it to his Flickr site in December 2008
March 1, 2010: Misery after the fight with Slash Murray Sager Photo
Slash still had an important role to play however. In both the 2009 and the 2010 breeding season, he sent the younger suitor Misery off the island.
You can see more elephant seal images and videos in the Elephant Seal Taxonomy.
On one of my visits to Race Rocks in 2008, I took a series of photos of Slash as he lounged on the lawn up behind the boat house.
Slash, the elephant seal was struck by a motor boat at Race Rocks in January of 2003. Fortunately he has recovered well in the past year and a half as can be seen here in two videos taken by Mike Slater in July and August of 2004.
There is also a second video showing Slash undergoing a moult in August of 2004.
See the footage taken of his original injuries here.
Return to the Elephant seal taxonomy file:
Two elephant seals haul out on the lawn and provide evidence of mating behaviour. The female has a large cut around her neck indicating an old injury. (Scarlet)
On January 22, 2004 Mike and Carol Slater moved camera 3 over to their house in order to keep track of the male elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris who has been hauled out on Great Race Rocks recently. They took these images right outside their house. He is the same one (Slash) who was injured a year ago.. See the video footage from January 03, and from August 03
This was the first time an adult female had come up to join him on the lawn. That afternoon there was considerable maneuvering for reproductive purposes.
It turns out that the female has also had an extensive injury. This deep cut, now healing over has probably been caused by a fish net or rope. We have not observed this female before at Race Rocks. She may have been hauled up on the Middle island where they lie on the flat top part and are not very visible from a boat. ( Later, Pam Birley gave this female the name of Scarlet
In 2009, we believe this same female elephant seal has again shown up on Middle Island
