seal.watch / california

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.

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Total reports
54
Latest observation

Public reports · newest first

Public records archive

7 January 2007—8 August 2026

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4 of 54 reports

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Explore by area

All areas

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 detail viewMonterey Bay and Point Lobos detail viewBig Sur and Cambria detail viewLos Angeles coast detail viewSan Diego coast detail view
Outlined areas show the coastal views below.

Bay Area and Point Reyes

Point Reyes · 4 reports1Point Reyes coast · 1 report2San Francisco Bay · 1 report3Farallon Islands · 1 report4San Mateo County · 1 report5Pescadero · 1 report6Año Nuevo · 1 report7Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve · 1 report8Santa Cruz County · 1 report9
Mapped areas North to south
  1. Point Reyes4 reports
  2. Point Reyes coast1 report
  3. San Francisco Bay1 report
  4. Farallon Islands1 report
  5. San Mateo County1 report
  6. Pescadero1 report
  7. Año Nuevo1 report
  8. Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve1 report
  9. Santa Cruz County1 report

Monterey Bay and Point Lobos

Monterey Bay · 10 reports10Moss Landing · 1 report11Pacific Grove · 4 reports12Sand City · 1 report13Monterey · 1 report14Point Lobos · 1 report15
Mapped areas North to south
  1. Monterey Bay10 reports
  2. Moss Landing1 report
  3. Pacific Grove4 reports
  4. Sand City1 report
  5. Monterey1 report
  6. Point Lobos1 report

Big Sur and Cambria

Ragged Point · 1 report16Piedras Blancas coast · 1 report17San Simeon · 4 reports18Hearst San Simeon State Park · 1 report19Leffingwell Cove · 1 report20Fiscalini Ranch Preserve coast · 1 report21Cambria · 1 report22Point Buchon · 1 report23
Mapped areas North to south
  1. Ragged Point1 report
  2. Piedras Blancas coast1 report
  3. San Simeon4 reports
  4. Hearst San Simeon State Park1 report
  5. Leffingwell Cove1 report
  6. Fiscalini Ranch Preserve coast1 report
  7. Cambria1 report
  8. Point Buchon1 report

Los Angeles coast

Malibu · 1 report24Los Angeles coast · 1 report25
Mapped areas North to south
  1. Malibu1 report
  2. Los Angeles coast1 report

San Diego coast

San Diego County · 1 report26Village of La Jolla · 1 report27La Jolla · 5 reports28Ocean Beach / San Diego River · 1 report29San Diego · 1 report30San Diego coast · 1 report31
Mapped areas North to south
  1. San Diego County1 report
  2. Village of La Jolla1 report
  3. La Jolla5 reports
  4. Ocean Beach / San Diego River1 report
  5. San Diego1 report
  6. San Diego coast1 report

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.

  1. 12007
  2. 32026

Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.

  1. 2026
    South beach, Piedras Blancas viewing area San Simeon
    X0093 Friends of the Elephant Seal / Kathleen Curtis

    Kathleen Curtis observed orange-tagged X0093 resting alone on the south beach after her rehabilitation release. Northern elephant seal · 1 seal

  2. 2026
    Lighthouse Beach, Piedras Blancas San Simeon
    J912 The Tribune / Christine Heinrichs

    The report records J912 moving north to Lighthouse Beach after his stay at the main Piedras Blancas viewing area. Northern elephant seal · 1 seal

  3. 2026
    Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery San Simeon
    J912 The Tribune / Christine Heinrichs

    Docent Barrett Stuart observed J912 hauled out with tracking equipment attached to his head and back. Northern elephant seal · 1 seal

  4. Piedras Blancas, San Simeon San Simeon
    Unidentified Phil Adams / NOAA MBNMS — SIMoN Photo Library

    A northern elephant seal was photographed at Piedras Blancas. Northern elephant seal