Start and stop this slide show using your space bar. Elephant seals are extremists in nearly every way biologically.  Studies on the metabolism of fasting seals, especially weight loss, is a major area of research. Here scientists are weighing tagged seals over a period of weeks they spend on the beach molting, and monitoring their weight when they return during the breeding season. To download the whole quicktime slide show so that you can page back and forth at will, click here.