Featured Image Credit: MyrtleBeachOnline
According to researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Phyllis is no ordinary elephant seal.
Director Patrick Robinson says that the researches at UC Santa Cruz have been tracking the marine mammals for close to 22 years. Over those two decade, the team has managed to collect the largest diving and tracking record on the planet. Now, that’s impressive.
Maybe not as impressive as Phyllis Sooy, the adventurous elephant seal who was named after a late reporter and well-known philanthropist.
This January, Phyllis will complete the longest foraging trek in elephant seal history. The 853-pound mother of two traveled 3,700 miles across the ocean. Currently, the overachieving seal is headed home and will have completed a total of 7,400 miles.
To put this fantastic feat in perspective, elephant seals normally migrate about 2,000 miles during the 8 month period.
How did elephant seals get their name? Well, these marine mammals derived their name from the male’s trunk like mouth – or proboscis, if you want to get technical. Bulls use this trunk-like feature to produce loud roaring noises during mating season. Also, their large proboscis helps conserve body moisture during the amount of time spent feeding on the shore.
Want to learn more about the fascinating species?