# How Big Is A Northern Elephant Seal?

> Northern Elephant Seal size and weight: typical 400–2,300 kg (880–5,070 lb); bulls vastly heavier, dimorphism, and growth.

- **Species:** Northern Elephant Seal (*Mirounga angustirostris*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore — squid, deep-sea fish, and rays
- **Habitat:** Offshore Pacific and breeding beaches of California and Mexico
- **Lifespan:** 11–13 years in the wild (females longer than bulls)
- **Top speed:** Up to 16 km/h (10 mph) on land; strong swimmer
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/elephant-seal/how-big-is-a-elephant-seal/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/elephant-seal/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) is a huge deep-diving seal of the eastern Pacific, breeding on beaches in California and Mexico and feeding far offshore. Bulls are enormous, reaching around 3.5 m long and weighing anywhere from 400 to 2,300 kg, far heavier than females. They dive for squid and deep-sea fish and typically live 11 to 13 years. The species is listed as Least Concern.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Northern Elephant Seal profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/elephant-seal/) instead.

## Size and the elephant-like nose

Northern elephant seals are named for the large, inflatable snout of adult males, which resembles a short trunk and hangs over the mouth. Bulls are among the largest of all seals, growing to roughly 3.5 m and weighing from 400 kg up to about 2,300 kg, while females are far smaller. Males use the trunk-like proboscis as a resonating chamber, producing deep, clattering roars that carry across a crowded breeding beach. This dramatic size difference between the sexes is one of the most extreme of any mammal.

## Help protect the Northern Elephant Seal

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/elephant-seal/how-big-is-a-elephant-seal/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.