General description of animal and social system:
There is clear sexual dimorphism in the elephant seal. The male is 14-15 feet long and weighs about three tons, while the female is about 9 feet long and weighs about two tons. The male seal is noted for his proboscis, a nearly foot-long snout through which he makes snorting noises (Sanvito and Galimberti, 2000).
Females and males segregate during their biannual migrations, which is related to varying prey size, leading to sexual dimorphism (Rodhouse et al., 1992). The elephant seal social organization is solitary males and solitary females while at sea. On land during breeding, females aggregate into harems. Elephant seals molt on common beaches, but do not form bonds with other seals.