In recent days, vacationers on the beaches of the Argentine Coast were surprised by the appearance of elephant seals much further north than their usual Patagonian habitat.
In fact, the specimens began to appear on various beaches of the South Atlantic: in addition to the Buenos Aires coast, they were also spotted in Uruguay and even in southern Brazil.
According to specialists, this is an atypical phenomenon that could be linked to the H5N1 avian flu epidemic that affected the species in Peninsula Valdés in 2023.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society Argentina (WCS Argentina), this outbreak, which killed 97% of the pups born that year and reduced the local population by 61%, could explain this change in habit.
The crisis may have forced the elephant seals to change their “distribution and behavior,” explained Valeria Falabella, director of coastal-marine conservation at WCS Argentina, which is why they appear on beaches further north.
According to the study conducted by the entity along with CONICET and the University of California Davis, the recovery of the species after the outbreak could take decades.
The same report warns that the species is at risk of moving from “Least Concern” of extinction to “Endangered”, according to IUCN criteria.
Births in Unexpected Places
Between September and October 2024, elephant seals chose Buenos Aires beaches to give birth. Births were recorded in Mar de Ajó, Villa Gesell, Mar del Plata, Mar Chiquita, Miramar, and San Blas.
There were also births in Río Negro and in Santa Catarina, Brazil. In October 2025, an elephant seal was born in Piriápolis, Uruguay: the second case there since 1977, and another in the port of Necochea.
“These births and migrations so far north of Peninsula Valdés are atypical, so it is necessary to continue monitoring this population,” said Julieta Campagna, conservation specialist at WCS Argentina.
How to Act if You Find an Elephant Seal on the Beach
Elephant seals remain motionless on the beach for hours because they need to regain energy. Interrupting this rest causes them stress and can compromise their health.
Conservation organizations and local authorities have disseminated the following recommendations:
- Maintain a minimum distance of 30 meters from the specimens.
- Do not touch, feed, or throw water or objects at them.
- Do not approach with dogs or vehicles, as they can scare or transmit diseases.
- Do not attempt to move them or force them into the sea: they know when to return on their own.
- Do not get between the animal and the sea.
- Do not leave plastic waste on the beach.
- Notify Fundación Mundo Marino, Civil Defense, Naval Prefecture, or lifeguards in any risk situation.
“The role of the community is key: an informed citizenry helps avoid risky interventions,” highlighted the Fundación Mundo Marino.
Specialists agree that continuous monitoring and public education are essential to understand how the species faces these challenges. The protection of coastal biodiversity depends on respectful coexistence.
