- I see today that Mike has camera3 aimed at an elephant seal – This adult male must have moved up on the lawn behind the boathouse to get out of the northern gale today. This is probably the one who recovered from the encounter with the boat last year. ( see in the marine mammals video archive.) On camera 1 today there is a male and several females out on the middle rock .
- Precipitation –snow 5.5 cm
Tag Archives: slash
Slash Recovered a Year Later
This Elephant Seal was struck by a motor boat at Race Rocks in January of 2003. Fortunately he has recovered well as can be seen her in two videos taken by Mike Slater in July and August ,2003. See the footage taken of his original injuries here.
2009: We have called this elephant seal “SLASH” and he now has his own page here
MPA Guardian Carol Slater’s comments on these animals in the Daily log of Jan19, Feb 11, Feb13, Feb 14 and Mar 1, 2003
Slash, an Elephant Seal Injured by a Motorboat
This page is directed to all those marine vessel operators who persist in driving at high speeds in areas frequented by Marine birds and mammals. This Elephant Seal was struck by a motor boat somewhere around Race Rocks in January of 2003. Fortunately he will probably survive, he was one of the “lucky” ones. This is the most northern location for haulout of elephant seals . They are docile creatures, unafraid of boats. We just have to slow down and watch the surface carefully to avoid these animals when we are driving around sensitive ecological areas.
In January 2003, two male elephant seals were hauled out on Great Race island. One was suffering from severe injuries, probably inflicted by someone driving a motor boat at high speed in the area around Race Rocks.
We eventually named “Slash” and he becomes the docile elephant seal that hangs around the main island for many years.
- 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
- See the recovery a year and a half later in july 2004
- See Elephant Seal Taxonomy
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The wounds look like they are healing very well,
Feb. 3 2003: The large male Elephant Seal is still hauling out on the boat ramp for several hours at a time then returning to the water to leisurely circle the island just off shore.He is not as vocal as he has been but do hear him snorting every half hour or so.
Feb 4 2003: The large Elephant Seal has not returned to the boat ramp but we do now have a juvenile that appears to be going through it’s ‘molt’.
Feb. 5,2003:. The young Elephant Seal seems settled in for an extended stay in front of the boat house and except for rolling from one side to the other a couple of times has not moved much.Unlike the big males this juvenile ‘growls’ if anyone approaches within 8-10 feet,we keep our distance anyway, don’t want to add stress to an already stressed animal.
Feb. 11, 2003: The molting juvenile Elephant Seal is still hauled out next to the boat house and just likes to be left alone.The Elephant Seal that was injured has returned! He has moved inland about half way across Gr. Race near the Science building. The wounds look like they are healing very well, his eyes are clear and healthy looking. The other male Elephant Seal still around but did not come ashore today.
Slash, the Injured Elephant Seal
In January 2003, two male elephant seals were hauled up on Great Race island. One was suffering from severe injuries, probably inflicted by someone driving a motor boat at high speed in the area around Race Rocks. This elephant seal we eventually name “Slash” and he becomes ta docile elephant seal that hangs around the main island for many years. Ecoguardian Mike Slater took this video. See other videos of him on this site.
- 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
- See the recovery a year later below:
- Fortunately he has recovered well as can be seen her in two videos taken by Mike Slater in July and August ,2003. later we started vcalling him Slash and have devoted a special page to him on this website
First report of Slash being wounded
Jan 19 2003: We have a very disturbing and sad situation here with one of the Elephant Seals. In the late morning an elephant seal hauled out by the boat house, it was immediately apparent that this poor animal has had a run in with a boat prop. There are several deep gashes in the fore head just above his eyes. One eye is very bloodshot and the other eye seems to be getting red. There are other wounds or slashes from the head down to below the front flippers. The wounds are curved slices like a series of long parallel ‘slashes on both sides.The deepest gashes are on the head and right side cheek area. We checked on him all during the day, just before dark he moved into the water. The other much larger elephant seal is still around and happy to say he has no marks on him. He has hung around by the dock all afternoon and at times quite loud. I do wonder if there is any communication between these two great creatures. They are really quite placid most of the time and we can get as close as a foot if we approach from the front. Hopefully the one fellow’s wounds are not fatal. People must take extra care moving boats through the area to avoid hitting seals and sealions and causing what must be very painful injuries. See http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidinjureseal.htm for a video of the elephant seal.
You can also see other videos taken taken later of Slash and his recovery over the next few years:
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/miroungaa/slash.htm
ELephant seal struck by motorboat
See this video of the injuries of “Slash” by a motorboat
This page is directed to all those marine vessel operators who persist in driving at high speeds in areas frequented by Marine birds and mammals. This is a video of an elephant seal that was struck by a motor boat somewhere around Race Rocks in January of 2003. Fortunately he will probably survive, he was one of the “lucky” ones. This is probably the most northern location for haulout of elephant seals . They are docile creatures, unafraid of boats. We just have to slow down and watch the surface carefully to avoid these animals when we are driving around sensitive ecological areas.
Two male elephant seals this week hauled up on Great Race island. One was suffering from severe injuries, probably inflicted by someone driving a motor boat at high speed in the area around Race Rocks.
cuts on the head and body
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- a deep cut above the eye
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- a few days after the injury
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- scars will remain.
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- a yawn on the lawn.
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- still recovering several weeks later
This elephant seal we eventually name “Slash” and he becomes ta docile elephant seal that hangs around the main island for many years. See other videos of him on this site.
- See the posts on Slash:
- See Ecological Reserve Guardian Carol Slater’s comments on these animals in the Daily log of Jan19, Feb 11, Feb13, Feb 14 and Mar 1, 2003
- See the recovery a year later
- See Elephant Seal Taxonomy