California · 2005—2026
Northern elephant and harbour seals
Seals around California.
Follow public seal observations from California. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.
- Total reports
- 54
- Latest observation
Public reports · newest first
Public records archive
2 August 2005—23 August 2026
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54 reports
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Explore by area
The overview shows the full California outline and enlarged coastal views for matching reports. Numbered markers represent broad named areas, never exact observation locations. Select an area to filter the archive. The Farallon Islands marker is offshore; small islands may be absent from the outline.
53 of 54 reports shown in coastal views · 31 areas
Bay Area and Point Reyes
Monterey Bay and Point Lobos
Big Sur and Cambria
Los Angeles coast
Mapped areas North to south
San Diego coast
Other reported areas
No reliable point for this broad area. Its reports remain in the archive and filters.
Map: Natural Earth.
Reports over time
Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log
Observation: Harbor seals were reported inside the harbor in the day's account of Sanctuary's trips.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log
Observation: A harbor seal was observed near returning sea lions as Sanctuary entered the harbor after its late-morning trip.
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Date: 2026Reported: X0093 Friends of the Elephant Seal / Kathleen Curtis
Observation: Kathleen Curtis observed orange-tagged X0093 resting alone on the south beach after her rehabilitation release.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log
Observation: Two harbor seals were observed nearer the harbor during Sanctuary's morning trip.
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Date: 2026Reported: X0093 Friends of the Elephant Seal / Kathleen Curtis; California Wildlife Center
Observation: X0093 returned to the ocean at Topanga South Beach after rehabilitation.
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Date: 2026Reported: Kyanite Wildlife Jewels / Azi Sharif
Observation: Observers recorded Kyanite again while the injured pup attempted to come ashore.
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Date: 2026Reported: Kyanite Wildlife Jewels / Azi Sharif
Observation: A dated image documented another observation of the injured pup Kyanite at Children's Pool.
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Date: 2026Reported: Kyanite Wildlife Jewels / Azi Sharif
Observation: Wildlife Jewels documented an injured harbor seal pup later referred to as Kyanite at Children's Pool.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log
Observation: Harbor seals were observed closer to the harbor during a morning trip in rough seas.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log
Observation: The morning trip aboard Sanctuary recorded two harbor seals along the route.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log
Observation: Harbor seals were recorded during the morning trip aboard Sanctuary.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Seal Conservancy
Observation: Two male harbor seals were reported competing for a female near the seawall.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Seal Conservancy
Observation: Seal Conservancy reported a pair of harbor seals mating at Casa Beach.
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Date: 2026Reported: X0093 Friends of the Elephant Seal / Kathleen Curtis; California Wildlife Center
Observation: A resident found an underweight female pup that was rescued by California Wildlife Center and later identified as X0093.
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Date: 2026Reported: V4 National Park Service / PRNSA
Observation: V4 was photographed again at the visitor-center beach near the end of the breeding season.
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Date: 2026Reported: J912 The Tribune / Christine Heinrichs
Observation: The report records J912 moving north to Lighthouse Beach after his stay at the main Piedras Blancas viewing area.
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Date: 2026Reported: J912 The Tribune / Christine Heinrichs
Observation: Docent Barrett Stuart observed J912 hauled out with tracking equipment attached to his head and back.
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Date: 2026Reported: J912 The Tribune / Christine Heinrichs, citing UC Santa Cruz
Observation: Tracking data placed the adult male J912 ashore near Point Buchon after his return from northern foraging waters.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Associated Press / Godofredo A. Vásquez
Observation: Dated photographs show elephant seals resting on the beach, including a bull and a pup among adult females.
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Date: 2026Reported: V4 National Park Service / PRNSA
Observation: The bull identified by dye mark V4 was photographed resting beside the visitor center.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Karek Walker — iNaturalist (kwalkeriv)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified David Lewis — iNaturalist (whoa_whats_that)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Kylie Marozsan / NOAA MBNMS — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: Harbor seals were photographed resting on rocks and in the water near Monterey Harbor.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Daria Mattly — iNaturalist (daria_mattly)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified dolphinsharky — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Place: Hearst San Simeon State Park, San Luis Obispo County, California Hearst San Simeon State ParkReported: Unidentified Nature Ali — iNaturalist (natureali)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified patientgardener53045 — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified oldbayhiker — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified roerica7 — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified frolickingfrog — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Nancy Fernandez — iNaturalist (findmeoutside)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Kaylee Tucker — iNaturalist (kaylee84016)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Alex Lamoreaux — iNaturalist (alexlamoreaux)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Andrea Kreuzhage — iNaturalist (andreacala)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified wyattherp — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified codye6089 — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Justin Shahbaz — iNaturalist (justin166)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified James Maughn — iNaturalist (jmaughn)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Chad King / NOAA MBNMS — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: Two harbor seals were photographed passing underwater near Pacific Grove.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Jean DeMarignac / NOAA WCR — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: A harbor seal was photographed swimming around divers at Hopkins Marine Life Refuge.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Jean DeMarignac / NOAA WCR — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: A young harbor seal was photographed swimming near divers at Hopkins Marine Life Refuge.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Douglas J. Long — iNaturalist (douglasglobal)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified National Park Service — Point Reyes National Seashore
Observation: A bull northern elephant seal was photographed trumpeting on Drakes Beach.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified National Park Service — Point Reyes National Seashore
Observation: Elephant seals were photographed below the Elephant Seal Overlook at Point Reyes.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Shiran Hersh — iNaturalist (shiranhersh)
Observation: Harbor seals were photographed hauled out on rocks at the Farallon Islands.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Robert Schwemmer / NOAA CINMS — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: Harbor seals were photographed at Moonstone Beach near Cambria.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Eleanor Kenimer — iNaturalist (lunatuna)
Observation: Northern elephant seals were photographed on shore near Pescadero.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified C. Michael Hogan — iNaturalist (c_michael_hogan)
Observation: A harbor seal was photographed swimming in nearshore waters of Monterey Bay.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Alameda Point Harbor Seal Monitors / iNaturalist project
Observation: The Alameda Point monitoring project reported 70 harbor seals on its haul-out float.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Chad King / NOAA MBNMS — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: A harbor seal was photographed underwater near Pacific Grove.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Dan Linehan — iNaturalist (dslinehan)
Observation: Harbor seals were photographed resting ashore in Pacific Grove.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Chad King / NOAA MBNMS — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: Two harbor seals were photographed resting in the kelp canopy at Whaler's Cove.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Phil Adams / NOAA MBNMS — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: A northern elephant seal was photographed at Piedras Blancas.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Becky Stamski / NOAA MBNMS — SIMoN Photo Library
Observation: Harbor seals were photographed hauled out at Moss Landing.