Elephant Seals In Malibu Are Released Back Into Their Natural Habitat

Courtesy of Huffington Post

Two elephant seal pups were released at Leo Carrillo Beach near Malibu Monday morning. The adorable seals were herded into the ocean after two long weeks at the California Wildlife Center where they were recovering from infections.

Before being released into the wild, the California Wildlife Center made sure that the elephant seals would be able to fend for themselves in the deep sea by teaching them to feed themselves and making sure they weighed at least 150 pounds.

But when the big day arrived, the seals definitely seemed hesitant to return to their natural environment. In the video above, the seals seem to comfort each other with snuggles and kisses before returning to the water.

Northern elephant seals are endangered; only approximately 150,000 live today. This breed of elephant seal can be found as far north as Alaska and as far south as Mexico. The largest colonies of northern elephant seal typically inhabit California’s coast.