During the spring and summer, elephant seals visit the reserve in order to molt. Females and juveniles visit from April to May, sub-adult males from June to July and adult males from July to August. Yearling seals 'hang out' during the fall. Bull seals arrive from early December through January, to engage in battles for breeding access to the females. Pregnant female seals come ashore to pup from late December through early February.
Mothers nurse their pups for about a month, before mating and departing back to the sea.
By early March, most of the adults have returned to the sea. Pups remain behind through March and April, basking in the sun and learning to swim. The adult elephant seals return to A o Nuevo s beaches during the spring and summer months to molt, and can be observed during this time only on one of the regularly scheduled guided walks. These walks have been designed to minimize disturbance to the animals and their natural habitat. Molting elephant seals bask on beaches that are visible from viewpoints along a designated trail.