12-31-2010 The Northern Elephant seals were lmost extinct due to overhunting for their prized oil used for lamps. Only a few were left off the coast of Baja. They made a comeback and in 1990 they started coming to the Piedras Blancas rookery. The moms will lose 1/3 of their body weight while they are here as they do not eat until they return to the water - but the babies gain 10 lbs a day from their mother's very rich milk.