Why did the California elephant seal cross the road?

An elephant seal caused some major traffic problems after it repeatedly tried to cross a highway in Sonoma County, California. Marine Mammal Center officials returned early to the scene along with the CHP and plans were being laid for getting the seal back to the bay.

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito is keeping an eye on the sea lion… because it might be pregnant, and trying to move again to a different location to give birth.

Laura Sherr, a spokesperson with the Marine Mammal Center says the seal eventually swam under the roadway and climbed out of the water Tuesday afternoon, giving workers the opportunity to sedate it.

She appeared to be very healthy and showed no sign of illnesses, Halaska said. Marine mammal experts believed the seal was attempting to get to the dry land across the highway so she could give birth.

Locals are saying she is still hanging around the bay today.

There are many, legitimate questions that can be asked about why the seal wanted to cross the road.

A wayward elephant seal early Tuesday continued to linger along the edge of Highway 37, stubbornly avoiding San Pablo Bay, generating media frenzy and probably adding to the slow morning commute for westbound drivers. “So we’re really afraid that when it gets darker later on she might become a big speedbump”.

Barclay added that the elephant seal had “a lot of weight behind her and a lot of muscle”.

The animal was initially reported on Highway 37 near Sears Point and state Highway 121 and was trying to get over the center divider wall, CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said.

“I think she’s just gotten a little bit disoriented”, Halaska said. At one point a number of passing motorists stopped to take pictures of the seal, further complicating traffic matters on the busy four-lane highway.