Elephant seals return to Año Nuevo State Park. Visitors watch battling bulls and 75-pound pups

PESCADERO, Calif. (AP) — Every winter about 10,000 elephant seals make their way to California's Año Nuevo State Park to fight, mate and give birth. The spectacle runs from mid-December through March, drawing wildlife watchers eager for a glimpse of the largest seals on the planet.

During what park docent Laura Stern called “pupping season,” bull seals — some reaching up to 16 feet (4.9 meters) in length and weighing up to 2.5 tons — engage in bloody battles for breeding access to the females.

“So most elephant seals come back to the same beach where they were born. They don't all, but most of them do,” Stern said. “And we have about 10,000 elephant seals that come to Año Nuevo.”

Elephant seals were hunted nearly to extinction in the 1800s, sought out for their blubber, which was used to make oil. In 1892, fewer than 100 of the animals remained on a small island off the coast of Baja California.

Recognizing the crisis, the Mexican government extended legal protection to the species in 1922, followed shortly by protection in the United States. Today the population has grown to an estimated 250,000 seals living in the Pacific.

“There is a genetic bottleneck because they're all coming from that same 30 to 60. But so far they're doing really well, and we haven't had any problems,” Stern said.

Año Nuevo State Park, about 90 minutes south of San Francisco, is one of the largest mainland breeding rookeries on the West Coast. During pupping season, visitors come in droves to book docent-led guided walks so they can watch the long-nosed bull seals clash on the shore, hear the barks and bellows filling the seaside air and see the mothers nurse sleek, 75-pound (34-kilogram) pups on the sand dunes.

“It’s awe-inspiring," said Carrie Kahn, a visitor to the park from Berkeley, California. "And you just wonder, how do they move from point A to point B? They look like they’d be so slow. But they’re quick and big, and they’re honking and making noises.”

Male elephant seals have the highest level of testosterone of any mammal, Stern said. “So they want to mate, fight, eat, press repeat,” she said.

“You're not at a museum. You're not in an aquarium. You are right here watching them live doing what they do,” Stern said.

Between April and November, no tours are needed to visit the seals at Año Nuevo State Park. During pupping season, visitors must reserve a spot on a docent-guided walk to see the seals. Reservations can be made at www.reservecalifornia.com.

Laura Stern, right, talks about elephant seals during a tour of Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

An elephant seal pup, center, makes its way through female elephant seals on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

A bull elephant seal rests on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

People watch as elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

SEATTLE (AP) — Dylan Holloway scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, Brayden Schenn had three assists and the St. Louis Blues beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Robert Thomas added a goal and an assist, and defenseman Logan Mailloux also scored as the last-place Blues improved to 9-17-3 on the road with their second consecutive victory away from home against a playoff contender.

Joel Hofer made 34 saves for St. Louis, which won 3-1 on Sunday at Minnesota after going 2-8-1 in its previous 11 games.

Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn had a goal and an assist. Jaden Schwartz also scored for the Kraken, who had won five in a row at home without giving up more than two goals in any of them. Philipp Grubauer stopped 24 shots.

Seattle fell to 2-1 on its six-game homestand and 7-4-0 in its last 11 overall. The Kraken, who hold the second wild card and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, remained one point behind third-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division with a game in hand on the Oilers.

Holloway gave the Blues a 2-1 lead with his 12th goal at 7:40 of the second. The 24-year-old forward scored St. Louis' first hat trick this season and added an assist when he returned from a sprained ankle to lead the Blues over Seattle 5-1 at home in their first game back from the Olympic break last Thursday.

Thomas made it 3-1 just 1:33 into the third. Dunn trimmed Seattle's deficit to one at 13:34.

Blues: Visit the San Jose Sharks on Friday night, the third stop on a four-game trip.

Kraken: Host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

From left, St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk, defenseman Philip Broberg, right wing Jimmy Snuggerud, and center Robert Thomas celebrate after a goal by Thomas during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)

Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer reacts during an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)

St. Louis Blues right wing Alexey Toropchenko skates with the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) faces off against Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)

St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway (81) and defenseman Cam Fowler (17) celebrate with teammates after goal by Holloway and an assist to Fowler during the second period an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)