2-Ton Elephant Seal Picks Popular Australian Beach for a Little R&R

Beachgoers on Sorrento Beach, north of Perth, Australia, got a surprise recently: a 2-ton elephant seal pushed himself ashore and settle in for a little rest. Naturally, the spectacle drew a crowd, and local wildlife officials cordoned off an area around the seal to keep people back. (Frankly, it looks to me like the people are still too close, for their safety and the seal's comfort, but the wildlife officials know much better than I.)

There was initial concern that the elephant seal came ashore due to illness; later, officials said they believed he was simply tired after many days of hunting in deep water. If he's moulting, officials say, it could be up to 40 days before the big fella decides to leave.

Here's a report from Australian TV station 9Perth:

(Via TheDodo.com)