Elephant seals are large marine mammals known for their immense size and unique appearance. They lead a dual existence, spending most of their lives in the ocean’s depths, yet returning to land for crucial periods like breeding and molting. Their specialized adaptations allow them to thrive in both environments, influencing their movement capabilities on land and in water.
Their Pace on Land
While elephant seals appear cumbersome on land due to their large bodies, they can exhibit surprising bursts of speed when necessary. Southern elephant seals typically move at approximately 3 miles per hour (5 kph) on the ground. When threatened or in territorial disputes, they can accelerate to 5 miles per hour (8 km/h), with some reports indicating short bursts reaching 6 miles per hour (9.6 kph). This terrestrial movement is not sustained over long distances and is energetically costly.
Their land-based locomotion is primarily reserved for brief, purposeful movements, such as escaping danger, asserting dominance during breeding, or navigating to and from the water. Despite their potential for short bursts of speed, elephant seals are far less agile on land compared to their aquatic environment. They spend only a small fraction of their lives on shore, remaining largely stationary to conserve energy.
Their Speed in Water
In stark contrast to their land movement, elephant seals are highly efficient and powerful swimmers, spending 85 to 90 percent of their lives submerged. Their swimming speeds typically range from 3 to 6 miles per hour (5 to 10 kph) during routine travel. While their average cruising speed during dives is around 2 to 3.7 miles per hour, they can achieve burst speeds of up to 10 miles per hour (16 kph) when pursuing prey or evading predators.
The ocean serves as their primary habitat for hunting, migration, and evading threats, necessitating effective aquatic locomotion. Elephant seals undertake extensive migrations, covering distances between 15,000 to 20,000 miles (25,000 to 32,000 km) annually during their foraging trips. Their speed and streamlined form are also crucial for their diving capabilities, allowing them to glide efficiently through the water column to conserve energy during long descents.
Physical Traits and Movement
The distinct physical characteristics of elephant seals are direct adaptations to their predominantly aquatic lifestyle, influencing their movement both in water and on land. Their large, blubbery bodies are highly streamlined, reducing drag and enabling swift navigation through water. This substantial layer of blubber also provides insulation against cold ocean temperatures and contributes to buoyancy.
In water, their powerful, webbed hind flippers act as the primary means of propulsion, moving from side to side in a sculling motion. These hind flippers are not designed for terrestrial walking, unlike those of some other pinnipeds. On land, elephant seals employ a method known as “gallumphing,” a caterpillar-like movement where they undulate their bodies. This involves rhythmic contractions of their spinal muscles, using their chest, pelvis, and foreflippers to propel their bodies forward, as their hind flippers are not used for this motion. While their adaptations make them excellent swimmers and deep divers, they inherently restrict their agility and endurance when on solid ground.