Hunting reduced the population size of the northern elephant seal to as few as 20 individuals at the end of the 19th century. Their
population has since rebounded to over 30,000, but they have much less genetic variation than a population of southern elephant
seals that was not so intensely hunted. How is the lack of genetic variation related to the hunting episodes of the 1800's?
Genetic drift occurred; the few individuals left behind were the seals that
passed on that specific gene pool
Adaptation occurred; some seals were able to adapt to the hunting
environment and they survived to pass on their genes.
During the 1800's some northern seals migrated and were able to survive