Photo: Naturalist laying with elephant seal on sand beach, at Piedras Blancas, near San Simeon, California
I know this looks like fun, but please, don’t get the wrong idea. This man is a professional naturalist. This is the season when seals become quite plentiful along the California coastline. There are few places where the seals are as easily accessible as here at Piedras Blancas, which is just north of San Simeon. The only big problem with having the seals so close to people is that people (tourists) feel they can get as close to these animals as they want. Fortunately, the majority of visitors obey the posted signs that warn that it is a crime to approach or harass these animals.
See more images from the California Central Coast in our online gallery.
