Records of Northern Elephant Seals, Mirounga angustirostris Gill, 1866 (Mammalia: Phocidae), from the Kuril Islands

Abstract

The northern elephant seal does not inhabit the waters of Russia. Encounters with this animal are rare and in most cases occur at rookeries of eared seals. The records of elephant seals from Russian waters in recent decades may be evidence of an increase in their population and expansion of the species range. This report provides summarized data on the records of northern elephant seals from waters of the Russian Far East.