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| January 30, 2009: This is what we believe is the first elephant seal pup to be born at Race Rocks. It arrived last night or early this morning. See the daily log also for updates. Ryan and Adam have dubbed the pup NINENE, after the WSANEC (Saanich people) moon that it was born under, meaning, child or offspring |
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| Ryan has observed a lot of aggression on the part of the young male which had previously been named Misery by local viewers. |
The baby was born beside the helicopter pad, and has spent the first day there, trying to nurse. The interference by the aggressive male has made this difficult. |
The placenta has been recovered and is frozen in the event that further research such as DNA analysis is to be done. |
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Ryan Murphy , our eco-guardian who lives on the island, has provided these images. |
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| Return to the Elephant Seal Page. |
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At the end of January 2009, two other mature females and another male (Slash) have been staying on Middle Rock. For identity see this file |
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| Video by Adam Harding (PC34) Early morning of February 1, 2009 at close range from the top of the helicopter pad. |
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| Video by Adam Harding ( PC 34) on the morning of February 1, 2009 from inside of the marine centre. |
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BUT-----THE STORY MAY HAVE A HAPPY ENDING:
On April 2, 2009, Ryan sent the following e-mail:
"I haven't seen the elephant seal pup for a couple of days, and I suspect she got into the water on the east side of the island the night of March 30. If she's seen again I'm sure her neck scar will be a good identifier.
These photos are the last I have of her from the day before her departure."
Note the folds of skin as she has existed the past 4 weeks on her own fat.
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NINENE ON TOUR IN THE USA:
On April 7 we were forwarded an e-mail from Dyanna Lambourn a Marine Mammal Research Biologist, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Lakewood, WA with this picture by Duane Benedict of the Port Angeled Police Department of a Northen Elephant Seal pup that showed up in Port Angeles on April 2nd. She indicates "I suspect it is probably the pup from Race Rocks... I went to the Race Rocks website and it appears that "NINENE" left around that same time. The pup is hauled out in downtown Port Angeles and the plan is to relocate to the tip of Edis Hook on US Coast Guard Property today. Hopefully
the pup will also be tagged."
Note the scar on her back near the neck, one on the left side of her nose and another on her lip, These also appear on the las photos we have of her.
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The article "Beached elephant seal moved to Ediz Hook"also appeared today in the Penninsula Daily News |
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The story of Ninene: Seal pup liikely "Canadian born" now she's missing in the Penninsula Daily News, Port Angeles.
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April 15, 2009 Ninene returns from Spring Break in the USA and comes ashore on Taylor beach on Southern Vancouver Isalnd.
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January, 2010 New pups born at Race Rocks. |
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Return to the elephant seal taxonomy and gallery file |
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