The large elephant seal, weighing in around half a ton, at one point attacked a vehicle. Photo: Chris Preovolos
Weighing in at half a ton, this was no small inconvenience. A “very large, very determined” elephant seal caused a traffic jam as it persistently attempted to cross a major highway and refused to return to the water.
The water-doggie was blocking the slow lane of Highway 37 near Sears Point in Sonoma County on Monday, reported Bay Area-based SFGate. At first, calls were coming in stating that the seal was just blocking the road. But then there were reports of the animal attacking a vehicle.
At one point, the officials were able to usher the pinniped into the water. However, it soon came back on land and tried to cross the road again.
“He’s back in the water now,” CHP officer Andrew Barclay said. “But he seems very committed to crossing the roadway. Every time we get him in the water he waits until we walk away and he’s right back up on land.”
There’s no word on exactly why the elephant seal was so uncomfortable in its natural habitat. Although seals and sea lions have been experiencing the sh*t end of the stick when it comes to side-effects from El Niño. Abnormally warm water in the Pacific is creating algal blooms, which are rife with toxic Domoic Acid. And for the poor seals and sea lions, this can cause brain damage.
Pinnipeds across the coast of California have been washing ashore confused and malnourished. Again, no word on whether this highway-blocking elephant seal was afflicted by the toxic algae. But it’s certainly not worth ruling out.
