Rogue elephant seal goes on rampage

The elephant seal that has been killing harbor seals, naps on the beach just north of the mouth of the Russian River in Jenner. This elephant seal, besides killing harbor seals, has attacked a dog. Photographed on April 23, 2007. Liz Mangelsdorf/ The Chronicle less The elephant seal that has been killing harbor seals, naps on the beach just north of the mouth of the Russian River in Jenner. This elephant seal, besides killing harbor seals, has attacked a dog. ... more Photo: Liz Mangelsdorf Photo: Liz Mangelsdorf Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Rogue elephant seal goes on rampage 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

2007-04-23 15:54:00 PDT JENNER -- Signs have been posted on beaches near the mouth of the Russian River warning people to stay way from a stretch of the river where a rogue elephant seal has gone on a rampage in the past month, biting a surfer and a dog and killing several harbor seals, officials said today.

The seal, nicknamed Nibbles, is an adolescent male who has been frequenting a sandy point on the Sonoma County coast. Witnesses say the seal, who has been tagged, lunges at its victims like a crocodile.

Officials are cautioning people not to swim or wade in the estuary waters near Goat Rock Beach near Jenner, and not to approach the 2,500-pound animal should they see him "hauled out," or basking in the sun.

"A point we really need to get across is the public safety issue," said Sarah Allen, a National Park Service biologist stationed at Pt. Reyes National Seashore. "Just because elephant seals are big doesn't mean they won't move quickly. On beach sand, a bull can charge faster than I can run."

Allen, an expert in elephant seals, put a pink tag on the bull's hind flippers when he showed up at the river estuary. While males are customarily aggressive, this one's behavior goes far beyond what is typical. It has crushed the skulls of female harbor seals and disemboweled male harbor seals.