An elephant seal bull surveys its future territory at Point Reyes.
This is a fairly young bull based on its weight and small proboscis (the trunk-like appendage on its face). The dominant bulls rely on younger bulls to help patrol their territory. Fighting off intruders is hard work for mammals used to being cooled by frigid ocean water, and the alphas save their strength for the largest interlopers. In return for driving off smaller challengers, the young bulls get the opportunity to mate with the occasional cow while the alpha is otherwise occupied.