The elephant seals are back at Point Reyes and are not shy about making their presence known. The National Park Service took to social media, announcing on Point Reyes National Seashore's Instagram post that female elephant seals have chosen to give birth on Drakes Beach. "However, to keep those mommas and pups safe, we have now set up seal viewing areas at the Drakes Beach Parking Area 10 AM to 4 PM daily, weather and staff dependent," the post reads. To minimize disturbance to the wildlife, visitors are only allowed during these designated hours, with the parking lot remaining off-limits outside of this timeframe for the remainder of the 2025 elephant seal breeding season.
The wildlife spectacle draws visitors eager to see the animals in their natural habitat. "This is incredible to get so close to them, how large they are," Ed Lamm told ABC7 News. The seals, the size of small cars, have chosen Drake’s Beach as their breeding grounds. "We started seeing some large bulls in December, females and pregnant moms are coming back. Right now, we estimate around 30, with more on the way," National Park ranger Earl Perez-Foust said to establish a growing seal population quickly.
Among the returning pinnipeds are pregnant females preparing to give birth at any moment and some that have already given birth to their pups. According to the same ABC7 News report, Catherine Lucas from Inverness said, "They're so extraordinary, comical, and we were having a discussion in the car if they were ugly or not. I gather there are a couple of cows that have come in and will be giving birth at any moment."
