A colony of elephant seals has taken over a beach in Northern California, taking advantage of the government shutdown.
About 60 adult seals that gave birth to 35 pups took over a beach in Point Reyes National Seashore, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Wednesday.
They knocked down a fence and moved into the parking lot while there was no staff to discourage the animals from congregating in the popular tourist area, an official said, and they don’t appear to be going anywhere.
Migration occurred during the 35 day-long partial government shutdown, which began on December 22 and is now the longest on record. Now, about 60 adult seals that have birthed 35 pups have knocked down a fence and moved into the parking lot and aren’t going anywhere
But since no one was at work to help guide the seal migration, the animals took over the area completely. This photo taken on January 21 and provided by the Point Reyes National Seashore shows the colony of elephant seals that took over a beach in Point Reyes National Seashore
The park north of San Francisco is home to a colony of about 1,500 elephant seals that tend to frequent another beach with 100-foot-tall (30 meter) cliffs that keep the animals protected and mostly hidden from the public, park spokesperson John Dell’Osso said.
Dell’Osso said it’s likely recent storms and high tides inundated the animals’ normal habitat with water and so they sought a wider swath of dry land around the corner.
‘Sometimes you go out with tarps and you shake the tarps and it annoys them and they move the other direction,’ he said.
The migration occurred during the 35 day-long partial government shutdown, which began on December 22 and is now the longest on record.
While park staff were furloughed, locals like Teresa Baker, who founded a community group called African American Nature & Parks Experience, picked up the slack and helped with trash cleanup.
‘I spent the last few days helping with trash collection in Point Reyes,’ Baker wrote on January 7.
A colony of elephant seals took over Point Reyes beach in Northern California during the government shutdown when there was no staff to guide the animals’ migration
It’s likely recent storms and high tides inundated the animal’s normal habitat with water and so they sought a wider swath of dry land around the corner park spokespeson John Dell’Osso said
‘I was so concerned with the reporting of how our national parks are being trashed.
‘I can report that there was NOT a huge trash problem or a people behaving badly, problem. I was able to capture some of the wildlife in the area…from a distance.’
But since no one was at work to help guide the seal migration, the animals took over the area completely.
One seal even ventured under a picnic table near a cafe, the newspaper reported.
Images of the group of seals were shared over social media, with a coyote seen lurking nearby
Officials have no plans to move the animals while some of them nurse their pups
The elephant seals were lounging in the sand after the park reopened on Sunday, leading staff to temporarily close the road to the beach.
Images of the large group of seals were shared over social media, with a coyote seen lurking nearby.
Officials have no plans to move the animals while some of them nurse their pups.
Staff is considering offering guided tours of the elephant colony, Dell’Osso said, at least while they’re still being paid to show up to work.
The spending bill that reopened government and allowed Point Reyes park officials to return to [tend to the area will only keep things going through February 15.
If another agreement can’t be reached between President Donald Trump and Democrats, the government will shut down again.
While park staff were furloughed, locals like Teresa Baker, who founded a community group called African American Nature & Parks Experience, picked up the slack and helped with trash cleanup
If that happens, the group of elephant seals will again have free reign over the ara, as the pups typically are weaned by the first week of March and then depart in early April, officials said.
But for now, even with all hands on deck, all motorized and foot traffic has been prohibited on the road to Drakes Beach from Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the Press Democrat reported.
In years past, a shuttle service has operated in the area during the pupping season, but that is also in question now due to the seals and pups having already overtaken the area.
Park officials and experts are working together to try to figure out how the public can observe the natural wonder of the new pupping group, with no dangers to the animals or humans.
‘What an interesting management challenge for us,’ park Superintendent Cicily Muldoon said. ‘But what a great opportunity.’
Park officials and experts are working together to try to figure out how the public can observe the natural wonder of the new pupping group, with no dangers to the animals or humans. The seashore is pictured in a file photo from before the elephant seals arrived