Seals in general are pretty cute, but theres one member of this family that wound up looking a bit worse for wear. Mind you, its the males of the elephant seals that draw the short straw, so dont worry ladies, nobodys lookin at you. Taking their name from the flabby facial feature they have developed, the adult males have a large proboscis (nose) that looks somewhat like a stubby elephant trunk. An ugly appendage with a purpose, the elephant seals tiny trunk is filled with cavities that reabsorb the excess moisture that is exhaled, keeping the bulls hydrated during the breeding season when they are confined to the beaches to ferociously defend their territories. Elephant seals are not quite elephant-sized, but they are massive compared to the other seals in their family. The male bulls of the southern species get as big as 4.9 metres long, weighing in at up to 3,000kg. Both species were hunted almost to extinction during the 19th century, but are now considered Least Concern.
