Elephant Seal Molting on Oregon Beach

Published 5:00 pm Sunday, May 14, 2006

(Cannon Beach, Oregon) – Another large mammal has washed up on the Oregon coast, lying in the sand as it painfully goes through the natural process of molting. This time, it’s an elephant seal that landed itself at Cannon Beach – a juvenile male that has been there since April 29.

The elephant seal is molting, said Seaside Aquarium’s Tiffany Boothe, which means it’s slowly shedding its old coat and growing a new one. “This process often leaves sores, patches of bare skin, and a distinct odor,” said Booth. “When molting, the seals will spend a lot of time up on rocks or dry land. The process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to months.”