Here is another photograph of a large male northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) forcibly mating with a much smaller female. This bull holds her down with his enormous weight and even bites her into submission. Females elephant seals, when facing such a suitor, generally squak and put up a token display of annoyance, but do not actually attempt to fight off the male. They know that natural history, and the enormous sexual dimorphism of their species, works to the bull elephant seal’s advantage in these encounters.
A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Image ID: 15408
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California, USA
