The northern elephant seal was hunted almost to extinction during the 18th and 19th centuries.Less than 100 seals were left to contribute to the gene pool of their future generations.Since the early 20th century,the elephant seals have been protected by law in both the U.S.and Mexico.Over 100,000 seals now inhabit the western shores of North America,all related to the small population that survived the slaughter of hunters. Scientists fear the elephant seals may be more susceptible to disease and pollution due to

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The bottleneck effect occurs when a population's size is significantly reduced for at least one generation, leading to a loss of genetic diversity. The northern elephant seal population was reduced to less than 100 individuals, which is a classic example of a bottleneck effect. This makes them more susceptible to disease and pollution due to reduced genetic variation.

The Northern Elephant Seal Was Hunted Almost to Extinction During