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Bright purple seal appears on Bay Area beach, baffling experts
SFGATE • • science
Key Points:
- An elephant seal at Año Nuevo State Park was seen with bright purple coloring on its flippers and tail, caused by resting on a bed of red algae rather than illness or diet.
- The red algae's natural pigments can dye seals temporarily, a rare phenomenon also observed in sea otters along the Monterey coast.
- Elephant seals are currently undergoing their annual molting season from April to August, shedding their outer skin and fur to grow a new coat for ocean survival.
- Safety measures for viewing seals have been lifted following the end of the HPAI H5N1 avian flu outbreak in California marine mammals, which affected multiple species in early 2024.
- Scientists will continue monitoring marine mammals at Año Nuevo as migratory birds return in the fall to prevent further outbreaks.
