Wandering and lonely, the Elephant Seal is an unusual tourist in Costa Verde

A South American Elephant Seal (Leonine Mirounga)sighted in Ubatuba on March 4th, returned to the sea on March 8th, and has not been seen since.

However, four days ago, the animal decided to stop in Paraty (RJ), and yesterday (14) it was spotted in Trindade, an old hippie stronghold. And today, the 15th, the animal returned to Ubatuba, where it was seen by residents of Prumirim and Justa beaches.

With about four meters in length and two tons, the animal, a juvenile male, had been closely monitored by the team from the Argonauta Institute, which runs the Santos Basin Beach Monitoring Project (PMP-BS).

Carla Beatriz, a biologist, says that this is not the first time that an elephant seal has appeared in the region. “Here in Ubatuba, we had the occurrence of this species in 2006 and 2007. At this young stage, they tend to be solitary and even wanderers”, says Carla, who coordinates stretch 10 PMP-BS, Área SP.

Elephant seals live on sub-Antarctic islands and have colonies in Patagonia. However, juveniles are often seen alone.

During its stay in Ubatuba, the animal rested a lot, but also took the opportunity to visit some beaches.

According to the veterinarians at the Argonauta Institute, the elephant seal was in good health, and was probably undergoing the molting process, which consists of shedding its skin and fur.

Apparently, he came to Ubatuba to relax and renew the air to continue his journey through the beautiful Costa Verde.

Jokes aside, it is worth mentioning that they are aggressive, especially when they feel threatened. So if you see this young elephant seal out there, keep your distance.