Elephant seal stops traffic in California

The seal was first spotted trying to cross State Route 37 near Sonoma Raceway – south of Sonoma – on Monday afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Marin Office. Wildlife Service crews and CHP officers managed to usher it back into the San Francisco Bay.

“What we’ve seen is she’s obviously still trying to get out of the water”, Barclay said.

Attempts were made to frighten the animal back into the water using horns and paddles, but the seal refused to budge.

Laura Sherr, Marine Mammal Centre spokeswoman, said the seal did not seem injured and that she probably got lost and confused after swimming up the wrong waterway. They also say she appears to be very healthy and shows no sign of illness.

Given the season, one possibility is that she is pregnant and trying to find a place to give birth, but Halaska said there is no way to confirm that short of an ultrasound.

Marine Mammal Center officials planned to go back to the shore around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning when the next high tide hits in an effort to get the animal back to safety.

Regardless, she must have been a big fan of “The O.C.” to throw caution to the wind and say, “California, here I come”.

Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesman for the Marine Mammal Center, said its stranded marine mammal hotline started getting calls at 1 p.m. on Monday.

Drivers then stopped and tried unsuccessfully to shoo her back toward the water. “She is just 900 pounds of not wanting to move”, Barclay said.

Rulli said because of the possibility of pregnancy, wildlife officials are taking extra precautions with the seal and being “extra gentle”.

Tolay is on the petite side for elephant seals – cows typically way up to 2,000 pounds – but she’s still been able to establish a bit of a fan base.