noun
southern elephant seal
Refers specifically to the species Mirounga leonina. In everyday Japanese, the katakana name is used almost exclusively.
ミナミゾウアザラシは南極周辺に生息している。
Southern elephant seals live in the waters around Antarctica.
Katakana spelling is standard for this animal name; usually written in kana.
Kanji form is rare and may not be widely recognized; the katakana spelling is strongly preferred.
Compound of 南 (みなみ, 'south') + 象 (ぞう, 'elephant') + 海豹 (あざらし, 'seal'), referring to the southern elephant seal. The katakana spelling is standard for animal names.