Notes on the sea elephant (Mirounga leoninus).

A single specimen of the Sea Elephant (Mirounga leoninus) visited the East Coast of Tasmania recently, and was killed later by certain residents of Wedge Bay, Tasman Peninsula.
Its skeleton was secured for the Tasmanian Museum Collection.
This -is the first record of this species visiting the island for many years. Our historical records show that in the early days of last century Sea Elephants occurred at such places as King Island, Bass Straits, but excessive hunting exterminated these large mammals, and Macquarie Island is now their nearest home.
It would be interesting to know the usual range of this species from its ordinary breeding grounds. Sea Leopards (Ogmorhinus leptonyx) visit Tasmania fairly frequently, as well as occasional Crested and King Penguins, so there must be a fair proportion of Subantarctic types which wander northwards.
Includes table of measurements and photographs.