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.

Meet the northern elephant seal →

Meet the harbour seal →

Total reports
54
Latest observation

Public reports · newest first

Public records archive

6 August—23 August

Reset filters

4 of 54 reports

Loading public records…

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.

4 of 4 reports shown in coastal views · 2 areas

Monterey Bay and Point Lobos detail viewBig Sur and Cambria detail view
Outlined areas show the coastal views below.

Monterey Bay and Point Lobos

Monterey Bay · 3 reports1
Mapped areas North to south
  1. Monterey Bay3 reports

Big Sur and Cambria

San Simeon · 1 report2
Mapped areas North to south
  1. San Simeon1 report

Map: Natural Earth.

Reports over time

All dates

Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.

  1. 12005
  2. 12007
  3. 12009
  4. 12010
  5. 12011
  6. 32017
  7. 32018
  8. 12019
  9. 62020
  10. 32021
  11. 32022
  12. 32023
  13. 32024
  14. 42025
  15. 202026

Months in 2026

  1. 3Jan
  2. 2Feb
  3. 1Mar
  4. 0Apr
  5. 3May
  6. 4Jun
  7. 3Jul
  8. 4Aug
  9. 0Sep
  10. 0Oct
  11. 0Nov
  12. 0Dec

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

  1. 2026
    Moss Landing harbor, Monterey Bay Monterey Bay
    Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log

    Harbor seals were reported inside the harbor in the day's account of Sanctuary's trips. Harbour seal

  2. 2026
    Moss Landing harbor, Monterey Bay Monterey Bay
    Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log

    A harbor seal was observed near returning sea lions as Sanctuary entered the harbor after its late-morning trip. Harbour seal · 1 seal

  3. 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

  4. 2026
    Waters near Moss Landing harbor, Monterey Bay Monterey Bay
    Unidentified Sanctuary Cruises, Captain's Log

    Two harbor seals were observed nearer the harbor during Sanctuary's morning trip. Harbour seal · 2 seals