Behind Point Reyes Elephant Seals' Pink Flipper Tags - Point Reyes National Seashore Association

Behind Point Reyes Elephant Seals’ Pink Flipper Tags

March 31st, 2026__|__Point Reyes National Seashore Association

Each February, NPS Marine Ecologist Sarah Codde and PRNSA Biological Science Technician Aiko Goldston work together to apply flipper tags to weaned elephant seal pups whose mothers have recently left. Each tag has a unique number and color; all Point Reyes & Farallon Islands seals receive a pink tag, and seals at other colonies across California receive differently colored identifiers. If a seal with a pink flipper tag is spotted at King Range National Conservation Area, for example, researchers will know that it was born here at Point Reyes or the Farallones!

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