Every year, northern elephant seals migrate from their molting and breeding sites in California and Mexico, to their feeding grounds in the North Pacific Ocean.

Scientists have learned that northern elephant seals — massive creatures found along the Pacific Coast of North America — cobble together a couple hours of sleep using underwater power naps.

When Northern elephant seals haul out on land to breed and molt, they sleep for over 10 hours a day. During that time, the seals aren’t eating, which may explain their need for extra sleep.

Northern elephant seals are the true masters of the power nap. On long trips out to sea, the seals snooze less than 20 minutes at a time, researchers report in the April 21 Science.

Elephant seals sleep about 10 hours a day on the beach, like these 2-month-old northern elephant seals resting at California's Año Nuevo State Park.

Northern elephant seals were once thought to be extinct due to commercial sealing in the 1800s, but a small population survived in Mexico and the population began to steadily increase in the ...

Northern elephant seals have a lactation period of 24 to 28 days, versus 22 to 23 days in the south. This means mother seals provide more fat-rich milk to their pups, ...

Male northern elephant seals may reach 13 feet long (4 meters) and weigh up to 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg). Females reach about 10 feet (3 meters) in length and 1,300 pounds (590 kg).

Federal wildlife authorities are searching for a person of interest in the stabbing of a baby elephant seal on an Oregon beach, leaving it injured with multiple wounds. The 225-pound pup was ...

An elephant seal forages for fish near an underwater observatory called in Berkley Canyon off the coast of British Columbia. This subsea lab named NEPTUNE is over 2,000 feet deep and a team of ...

Elephant seals sleep about 10 hours a day on the beach, like these 2-month-old northern elephant seals resting at California's Año Nuevo State Park.