San Juan Island National Historical Park - index (U.S. National Park Service)

Gordon Smith Photo

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK - In the photo above a young Northern elephant seal snoozes at American Camp's South Beach just prior to undergoing its annual molt, which involves the sloughing of the outer layer of skin and fur. Animals that haul out locally weigh from 200 to 300 pounds. But adult females can reach 10 feet and weigh more than a ton, while adult males are twice as long and can reach four tons. They are the only pinnipeds (fin-footed mammals) in the Puget Sound region to molt. The above photo was taken June 4. In the photo below, taken June 20 in one of the park's pocket coves west of South Beach, the process is nearly complete. The animal has possibly lost 36 percent of its body weight from fasting and molting. The chances are good that this animal will see world, as some adults have been known to range 13,000 miles or more in search of good feeding grounds. They can also remain submerged for more than 80 minutes at depths to 5,000 feet. Only the sperm whale dives deeper and longer. (Credit: The San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Call 1-800-562-8832 to report an animal in distress. Don't attempt to approach a molting elephant seal or any stranded marine mammal under any circumstances. Call the hotline or contact a park ranger or volunteer.)

Gordon Smith Photo