Elephant seal back in town yet again just days after being relocated
April 17, 2024 6:10 AM Subscribe
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has confirmed that Victoria’s (in Canada) favourite stair-climbing, beach-lounging elephant seal is back in town, less than a week after he was relocated.
The two-year old juvenile seal known as Emerson was corralled into a van and taken to an undisclosed beach on west Vancouver Island on April 5.
It was the fifth time Emerson had been relocated by DFO since his first appearance at Whiffin Spit in May 2023.
But on Monday, DFO spokesperson Leri Davies confirmed Emerson was once again in Victoria-area waters.
On Saturday evening, Chris Ashurt took a photo of an elephant seal lazing around on Gonzales Beach.
"Everyone, they just all called it Emerson," he said. "But that might just be the new collective term for elephant seals at this point."
The two-year old juvenile seal known as Emerson was corralled into a van and taken to an undisclosed beach on west Vancouver Island on April 5.
It was the fifth time Emerson had been relocated by DFO since his first appearance at Whiffin Spit in May 2023.
But on Monday, DFO spokesperson Leri Davies confirmed Emerson was once again in Victoria-area waters.
On Saturday evening, Chris Ashurt took a photo of an elephant seal lazing around on Gonzales Beach.
"Everyone, they just all called it Emerson," he said. "But that might just be the new collective term for elephant seals at this point."
Move the seal ten miles to the north, now there's a void and every seal moves one slot to the south to make room for the new seal up north, boom, there's always an Emerson.
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:21 AM on April 17 [6 favorites]
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:21 AM on April 17 [6 favorites]
What did it do to get banished from the city?
In the article, they say they are worried about it getting injured by a car or a dog.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:23 AM on April 17
In the article, they say they are worried about it getting injured by a car or a dog.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:23 AM on April 17
Happy to know there is a Whiffin Spit in Sooke somewhere in the world...
posted by jim in austin at 7:34 AM on April 17
posted by jim in austin at 7:34 AM on April 17
We had Emerson's mom Ellie on the beach here in Anacortes for a month last year. She is an impressively large beast to see lounging about on the sand.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 7:40 AM on April 17 [1 favorite]
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 7:40 AM on April 17 [1 favorite]
My wife and I visited Newport, Oregon in spring, and saw a mound of elephant seals on a dock in the harbor--around ten, I think--just laying back, chilling quietly. And then something would disturb one, maybe a dream, maybe a gull landing, and that one would start barking and looking around, which would get all of them going, and suddenly the mound was a cacophony for two minutes. Then they'd all settle down again and it would be quiet again for a few minutes, until the next gull/wave/intrusive thought happened, and it would start again.
Just like chickens, I thought.
posted by fatbird at 7:43 AM on April 17 [6 favorites]
Just like chickens, I thought.
posted by fatbird at 7:43 AM on April 17 [6 favorites]
There is a possibility that the Salish Sea could sustain an elephant seal breeding colony like those commonly found in California and Mexico, [a marine biologist] said. “This is the northernmost area where they are being born now."
it always comes back to climate change, doesn't it.
posted by ZaphodB at 7:45 AM on April 17 [3 favorites]
it always comes back to climate change, doesn't it.
posted by ZaphodB at 7:45 AM on April 17 [3 favorites]
Guess who's back
Back again
Seal is back
Tell a friend
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:46 AM on April 17 [5 favorites]
Back again
Seal is back
Tell a friend
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:46 AM on April 17 [5 favorites]
In the article, they say they are worried about it getting injured by a car or a dog.
Well, ever since Ride the Ducks got the kibosh, I think elephant seals are safe from vehicular collisions unless they flop down on boat ramps. As for dogs, pfft! As if... Size wise, Newfoundlands and chihuahuas are all the same as far as they are concerned.
posted by y2karl at 9:57 AM on April 17
Well, ever since Ride the Ducks got the kibosh, I think elephant seals are safe from vehicular collisions unless they flop down on boat ramps. As for dogs, pfft! As if... Size wise, Newfoundlands and chihuahuas are all the same as far as they are concerned.
posted by y2karl at 9:57 AM on April 17
Emerson is just down the road from me, sweet little critter.
I had an encounter with an elephant seal a few years back, I hope Emerson is parasite-free.
posted by Rumple at 10:41 AM on April 17 [2 favorites]
I had an encounter with an elephant seal a few years back, I hope Emerson is parasite-free.
posted by Rumple at 10:41 AM on April 17 [2 favorites]
Emerson’s return puts the “habit” in habitat.
posted by Word_Salad at 2:49 PM on April 17
posted by Word_Salad at 2:49 PM on April 17
They keep relocating Emerson because he clambers out of the beach zone so that he can molt in grassy parks and has also wandered into bike lanes and roadways. They're also pretty worried about an unleashed dog picking a fight or otherwise provoking him. Chek has a better article and plenty of good video for Emerson fans.
Here are some photos of Emerson that I found amusing that have been shared around the Victoria internet places.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 8:10 PM on April 17 [2 favorites]
Here are some photos of Emerson that I found amusing that have been shared around the Victoria internet places.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 8:10 PM on April 17 [2 favorites]
Chek has a better article and plenty of good video for Emerson fans. Here are some photos of Emerson that I found amusing that have been shared around the Victoria internet places.
Thank you for that, forbiddencabinet! ^_^
Those were both delightful and brought a smile to my face. ^_^
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 2:27 AM on April 18
Thank you for that, forbiddencabinet! ^_^
Those were both delightful and brought a smile to my face. ^_^
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 2:27 AM on April 18
They're also pretty worried about an unleashed dog picking a fight or otherwise provoking him
The solution here is to leash the damn dogs and reroute the cars when necessary.
If you want a world where wildlife still exist we need to accommodate it not the other way around.
posted by srboisvert at 4:01 AM on April 18 [1 favorite]
The solution here is to leash the damn dogs and reroute the cars when necessary.
If you want a world where wildlife still exist we need to accommodate it not the other way around.
posted by srboisvert at 4:01 AM on April 18 [1 favorite]
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LOL.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:21 AM on April 17 [4 favorites]