Wayward elephant seal tries to cross Highway 37

The seal, which some rescuers have dubbed “Tolay” after the name of the marshland where she has hunkered down, pushed back and barked at the Marine Mammal Center rescue crews as they used boards and a kayak to try to corral her away from road.

The “very large, very determined” seal was trying to climb over the center divider, and passersby who tried to stop and help her reported that she attacked their vehicle, Barclay said.

CHP’s Marin Office tweeted this photo of efforts to coax an elephant seal back onto the water in the Sonoma area on December 28, 2015. “She pretty much does what she wants”, said Barbie Halaska, a research assistant at the Marine Mammal Center is Sausalito.

Experts at the center say elephant seals return to beaches along central California during the winter months to mate and give birth.

SONOMA (KRON) – An elephant seal is still trying to cross state Highway 37 in Sonoma County from nearby waters Tuesday morning.

Regardless, she must have been a big fan of “The O.C.” to throw caution to the wind and say, “California, here I come”.

Wildlife officials monitored her overnight while she slept, and as of Tuesday morning said she was back in the water, swimming around. “We can only do so much because she has the advantage in the water”, Halaska said.

The seal, believed to be female and possibly pregnant, was first spotted around 1:00 p.m. Monday near the intersection of Highways 37 and 121.

An elephant seal in Northern California decided to make like Lindsey Buckingham and go her own way. “And so far, we’ve been successful with that”, Barclay said.

A 900-pound elephant seal is causing California wildlife experts a whole lot of trouble.

Tolay is on the petite side for elephant seals – cows typically way up to 2,000 pounds – but she’s still been able to establish a bit of a fan base.