The north coast of San Luis Obispo County is famous for having the largest mainland colony of Northern elephant seals anywhere. The best time to visit is between December and March, when the beaches south of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse are loaded with thousands of elephant seals doing their thing — males fighting for mating rights, females giving birth, and pups experiencing their first moments of life. It’s a noisy, chaotic world, and also a chance to observe very large wild animals living an important segment of their natural lives. Be sure to respect these behemoths by staying on the boardwalk and out of their way. To learn more about the Piedras Blancas elephant seal colony, visit the Friends of the Elephant Seal at https://elephantseal.org.

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Photo courtesy of Joan Crowder, Friends of the Elephant Seal.