Avoid abrupt movements or loud noises around marine mammals. ), or speak with a ranger. Feeding, attempting to feed, or otherwise harassing marine mammals in the wild was made illegal because it is harmful to the animals in the following ways: Harassment means any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance that has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A harassment); or that has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering, but does not have the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild (Level B harassment). It offers a great view of Drakes Bay, Chimney Rock, and Drakes Beach to the east…but not much of a view of the section of beach to the west on which most of the elephant seals are hauled out. Loose soil and/or rock along the blufftops can give way suddenly and you may fall. 415-464-5100 Point Reyes Station, CA Males typically arrive first in the late fall and early … Join Facebook to connect with Caleb Irwin and others you may know. A Brief History of Elephant Seals at Point Reyes. Drakes Beach Road south of its intersection of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is closed daily between 5 pm and 9 am, and will remain closed all day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Drakes Beach is protected by the point at Chimney Rock so the surf is typically mellow enough for stand-up paddleboarding and playing at the water’s edge. Or you might initiate a rockfall or landslide that injures or kills the seals on the beach below. More than 85 elephant seals are currently hanging out at Drakes Beach, a part of the Point Reyes National Seashore park in California around 45 minutes north of San Francisco. This closure is necessary to protect an established elephant seal colony from disturbance and protect the public. To better protect elephant seals from disturbance: Drakes Beach Road and the parking lot will be open for elephant seal viewing from 9 am until 5 pm, Fridays through Mondays, when park staff are present. (. Check out our Weekly Elephant Seal updates to learn the latest news. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call. Citations will be issued to those who disregard the closures. Elephant seals are running (er, wriggling) rampant on a beach in northern California.. See our, Read a limited number of articles each month, You consent to the use of cookies and tracking by us and third parties to provide you with personalized ads, Unlimited access to washingtonpost.com on any device, Unlimited access to all Washington Post apps, No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking. The seals historically have hauled out along Drakes Beach, but not at the primary public access point for the beach, which abuts the parking lot and visitor center. With Saturday’s glorious weather, people flocked to Bay Area beaches. DRAKE'S BEACH, Calif. (KGO) -- Elephant seal viewing season is reaching its peak, which means both opportunities and limitations. In 1981, the first breeding pair was discovered near Chimney Rock. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call. Drive past Drakes Beach down to the historic Point Reyes Lifeboat Station and Chimney Rock. Take a look up toward the overlook before heading up the trail. Determination of Temporary Closure for Drakes Beach Road - January 19, 2021, until further notice - signed on January 20, 2021 (52 KB PDF). Marine mammals sometimes become aggressive when seeking food, and are known to bite or injure people when teased or expecting food. 1 Bear Valley Road Point Reyes National Seashore on Thursday announced the temporary closure of Drakes Beach to protect the area’s northern elephant seals during their … For your safety, and the safety of the seals on the beach below, please stay on the paved path and do not go over or around the wooden fencing at the end of the paved trail. Drakes Beach in front of the Ken Patrick Visitor Center on the Marin County coast is temporarily closed because the elephant seals essentially … Until further notice, Drakes Beach is closed and Drakes Beach Road and parking lot are only open from 9 am to 5 pm on Fridays through Mondays. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. From December 15 to March 31, the following areas are closed to all entry in order to better protect nursing elephant seal pups: Drakes Beach Road and the parking lot will be open for elephant seal viewing from 9 am until 5 pm, Fridays through Mondays, when park staff are present. The southwest Drakes Beach colony, which can be viewed from the Elephant Seal Overlook, can number over 600 animals by early February. Elephant Seals at Drakes Beach. Use binoculars, telephoto lenses, and spotting scopes for a better view of the animals. These changed behaviors may be passed on to their young and other members of their social groups and increases their risk of injury from boats, entanglement in fishing gear, and intentional harm by people frustrated with the behavioral changes. Avoid touching or swimming with wild marine mammals, even if they approach you. This year, park employees are moving any pregnant seals that arrive in that area back into the water, preventing the spot from becoming populated with mothers and pups. See more videos, pictures, and stories about wild animals . No management action other than a year-round closure is sufficient. Vintage Charm on a 1920's Dairy Farm: With beautiful grounds, including a pond with a waterfall and a beautifully restored 19th century barn, the Scappoose Creek Inn is a great pl Since 1993, the average growth rate has slowed to 8–9% per year. Elephant seals and their pups occupy Drakes Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore on Feb. 1. Drakes Beach (including the non-paved areas south of the parking lot) is closed to all entry. The elephant seal colony is used all year. While some elephant seals may be present at Point Reyes on any given day of the year, the greatest number of seals haul out on beaches around the headlands from December through March for the birthing and mating season, and in the spring when adult females and juveniles haul out to molt. It causes marine mammals to lose their natural wariness of humans or boats and become conditioned to receiving handouts and associate people with food. A bull elephant seal trumpets a challenge at Drakes Beach on February 10, 2019. They have binoculars, spotting scopes, and a wealth of information to share with you. Access may change based upon elephant seal activity. So far they have been spotted lying on … And, he added, a 14-foot white shark was seen three weeks before, in the same place, by a paddle boarder. When government workers returned to reopen Point Reyes National Seashore on Sunday following the 35-day shutdown, they discovered that a colony of seals had taken up residence on Drakes Beach.. During this time, the juvenile seals are still growing and being onshore allows their bones and muscles to develop properly. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center is closed, although there are park personnel at Drakes Beach to provide safe elephant seal viewing opportunities for the public. ), or speak with a ranger. Occasionally, a few stray elephant seals appear on Drakes Beach, which is popular with visitors. Drive past Drakes Beach down to the historic Point Reyes Lifeboat Station and Chimney Rock. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. Toward the end of the spring, the female molt has concluded and they head back to sea for a longer feeding period. But one remained off limits, thanks to some large, lonely pinnipeds looking for a little peace and quiet. If there are more than a few people at the overlook, please be patient and wait for some of them to depart so that you don't crowd them and so that you can maintain six feet of distance from those who are not part of your household. Scientists are working on a way to allow the public to safely observe the seals. After a month of nursing, female elephant seals will wean their pups and head back out to sea for a month or two of feeding to replenish deleted energy reserves, leaving the weaned pups ("weaners") to survive on their own. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. Check the "Shuttles, Whales, and Elephant Seals" recording at 415-464-5100 x2 x3 x1 for updates on whether shuttles are operating. Feeding, attempting to feed, and harassment of marine mammals in the wild by anyone is prohibited by regulations enacted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. Another influx of the marine mammals this week has restricted access to the beach for humans. The Peter Behr Overlook may be reached by following a steep, narrow paved path from the southwest corner of the parking lot to bluff-top viewpoint. Loose soil and/or rock along the blufftops can give way suddenly and you may fall. A large bull elephant seal mates with a female in the parking lot next to Drakes Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore. Access may change based upon elephant seal activity. The Drakes Beach elephant seal colony as delineated by signs at the western-most end of Drakes Beach is closed to all entry due to seal activity at all times of the year. It also gets them in sync with the coming on shore twice a year pattern and allows the seals to do this before the breeding season, in which they are too young to participate. By mid-April, most of the pups have left the area to find food. Park your car and walk down to the elephant seal lookout where you can see the seals lounging on the beach. Caleb Irwin is on Facebook. Despite the limited amount of space at the overlook, it is a very popular viewpoint…which is problematic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no need to RSVP, purchase tickets, or make reservations to visit Drakes Beach. More information on this topic may be found on the National Marine Fisheries Service's Frequent Questions – Feeding or Harassing Marine Mammals in the Wild page. Out our Weekly elephant seal trumpets a challenge at Drakes Beach first breeding pair was discovered near Chimney Rock trails... Rock areas will be closed during Shuttle operating hours very popular viewpoint…which problematic! 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