elephant seal

American  

[el-uh-fuhnt seel] / ˈɛl ə fənt ˌsil /

noun

1. either of two large earless seals of the genus Mirounga, specifically M. angustirostris northern elephant seal of the Pacific coast of North America and M. leonina southern elephant seal of the Southern Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean, both species noted for a curved proboscis resembling an elephant's trunk: the largest living carnivorans, weighing up to 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms).

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elephant seal British  

noun

1. either of two large earless seals, Mirounga leonina of southern oceans or M. angustirostris of the N Atlantic, the males of which have a long trunklike snout

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Etymology

Origin of elephant seal

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

In late 2022, the H5N1 bird flu virus decimated southern elephant seal populations in South America and several sub-Antarctic Islands.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Scientists at the breeding ground on the Valdes Peninsula along Argentina's coast have determined that 97 percent of elephant seal pups died either from being abandoned or contracting bird flu in 2023.

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025

A whale-watching tour got the photo opportunity of a lifetime when they spotted a rare white shark feeding from an elephant seal about 30 miles west of Santa Barbara.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

“Normal elephant seal male behavior is they basically don’t even acknowledge the pups’ existence,” Codde said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 4, 2024

An elephant seal or two increased their food supply.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong