California wildlife: Northern elephant seal flings sand over its back, Point Reyes
California wildlife: Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA.
It seems that this animal was just playing with the sand... scooping it up with its mouth and flinging the sand on its back. Seals sometimes fling sand on their bodies as protection against the sun and to cool off. This animal was half in the water though and it rolled around loosing the sand almost immediately. So, I do not think the sand helped the animal cool off and it did not protect it from the sun (it was also quite foggy). I think the animal was just bored and found something to play with ...
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Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USANorthern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USANorthern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USANorthern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USANorthern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USANorthern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USANorthern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) scoops up sand with mouth and flings it over its back, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA