Volunteers Wanted for Elephant Seal Rookery
By Atascadero News · Thu Mar 05 2020
California State Parks and Friends of the Elephant Seals are recruiting for upcoming seasons
Join other wildlife enthusiasts to educate visitors from all over the world about the northern elephant seal! Share the fascinating stories about these one-of-a-kind marine mammals to help inspire stewardship and spread knowledge about their unique life cycle.
These deep sea divers spend eight to ten months a year in the open ocean, plunging up to 17 football field lengths deep to hunt and escape predators. One of the longest traveling marine mammals in the world, the northern elephant seal migrates thousands of miles annually. Twice a year, they return to Hearst San Simeon State Park's pristine beaches for pupping, breeding, molting, and rest.
The Piedras Blancas Northern Elephant Seal Rookery, located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, encompasses 6 miles of coastline with free viewing areas. The viewing areas are open every day of the year and feature ADA access. Friends of the Elephant Seal Docents are on-site daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.
Docents are expected to spend three to four shifts a month volunteering. This experience is enjoyable and rewarding as you will encounter interesting people and spend time on one of the most beautiful coastlines in all of America. No two days are alike, as every day you'll find something new and exciting to see and talk about!
Spring training starts Saturday, March 28th. After this free, fun, and informative one-day class, you will receive on-the-job training with experienced mentors to help you get started. This will be followed by two advanced training classes on October 10th and 24th Applications are available at elephant seal.org or by calling the FES office at (805) 924-1628. The volunteer application deadline is March 20th 2020.
About Friends of the Elephant Seal
Friends of the Elephant Seal is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to educating people about the Piedras Blancas elephant seal colony on San Luis Obispo's north coast.