The California Sea Lion

Phone (242) 394-2200 www.DolphinEncounters.com Fax (242) 394-2244

Who Are These Big “Dogs”? Get the stats! California sea lions first appeared in California sea lions are found from the fossil record about 120,000 to Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the ♦ Pups weigh about 13 220,000 years ago. Today, they are southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. known for their intelligence, They breed mainly on offshore islands, pounds when born playfulness, and noisy barking. Their ranging from southern California's color ranges from chocolate brown in Channel Islands south to Mexico, ♦ Females weigh about males to a lighter, golden brown in although a few pups have been born on 200-400 pounds females. Males may reach 850 lbs. and Año Nuevo and the Farallon Islands in seven feet in length. Females grow to central California. There is a distinct around 200-400 lbs. and up to six feet population of California sea lions at the ♦ Males can grow to in length. Galapagos Islands . A third population in 400-850 pounds the Sea of Japan became extinct, probably Sea lions have a "dog-like" face, and at during World War II. ♦ Dive up to 900 feet around five years of age, males develop a bony ♦ Breathhold up to bump on top of their skull nose ear flaps called a sagittal crest . whiskers 10 minutes These members of the Short, thick Otariidae or walking seal hindflippers ♦ Swim up to 15 MPH family have external ear fur flaps and large flippers ♦ that they use to "walk" on Molt once a year land. The trained "seals" in zoos and aquariums are Distribution: usually California sea tail lions. foreflippers

What’s The Difference Between Seals & Sea Lions?

SEALS : SEA LIONS : • Earholes • Earflaps • Short, hairy foreflippers & long claws • Long hairless foreflippers • Move on land by wiggling on belly • Hindflippers rotate underneath to & keep hindflippers straight out allow them to walk on land • Swim by steering with foreflippers • Swim underwater using foreflippers and powering with hindflipers like wings of a bird • Whiskers are crimped or beaded • Long smooth whiskers or vibrissae

California Sea Lions VS.

Galapagos Sea Lions Phone (242) 394-2200 www.DolphinEncounters.com Fax (242) 394-2244

Sea Lions Are Adapted To Live On Land & In The Sea Sea lions are adapted for float together on the ocean's Most pups are born in June or movement on land as well as in surface in " rafts ." They are July and weigh 13-20 lbs. They the water. Wing-like front sometimes seen porpoising, or nurse for at least five to six flippers have a bone structure jumping out of the water, months and sometimes over a similar to that in our arms and presumably to speed up their year. Mothers recognize pups hands. Swimming with these swimming. Sea lions have also on crowded rookeries through flippers propels the sea lion been seen "surfing" breaking smell, sight, and vocalizations . forward, while the hind flippers waves. Pups also learn to recognize the steer. Both pairs of flippers vocalizations of their mothers. California sea lions are enable a sea lion to walk on Breeding takes place a few opportunistic eaters, feeding on land. California sea lions are weeks after birth. Males patrol prey such as squid, octopus, very social animals, and groups territories and bark almost Pups are born on land and herring, rockfish, mackerel, and may nurse anywhere from often rest closely packed continuously during the six to twelve months. small sharks. In turn, sea lions together at favored haul-out breeding season. are preyed upon by Orcas (killer sites on land called colonies , or whales) and great white sharks.

There’s A Lot To Learn From Pinnipeds

Scientists study Pinnipeds to satellite transmitters to track seal the animal’s position and then learn about their natural history, movements. With this new sends the data to the laboratory reproduction, and behavior. The technology, scientists can virtually for analysis. information helps when scientists dive and swim with seals. Some try to save species that are scientists use a small computer Scientists at National Geographic have designed Crittercams . endangered . call a time-depth recorder or TDR. The TDR is temporarily Safely worn by wildlife, Most studies observe Pinnipeds glued to the back of the pinniped Crittercams capture video, sound, when they’re on land while and eventually falls off then the and other information, giving us pupping, breeding, or molting. animal comes ashore later in the rare views of the private lives of This Crittercam on a Little is known about pinniped year to molt. The TDR records animals. By allowing us this Hawaiian monk seal helps behavior at sea including diving, animal’s-eye view, Crittercams scientists see where these the time and depth animals travel and feed, migrating, habitat use, feeding help to solve scientific mysteries. and ultimately help us measurements and stores the data protect them. strategies, and social interactions. until it is transmitted to a What we learn from Crittercams satellite. The satellite calculates helps us protect the very animals Scientists are now using compact that wear them.

How have people effected sea lions?

More than 7,000 years ago, are seen in salmon spawning lions also ingest plastic debris, California sea lions were hunted grounds, but in some cases, eat which can cause obstructions in by the Chumash and Nicoleño more lampreys than salmon. the digestive tract. Keeping our Indians on the Channel Islands Lampreys (a type of fish) are seas and beaches clean has a huge for subsistence. In the late 1800s parasites of salmon. impact on the health of not just they were hunted commercially sea lions but all marine life. for their hides. The impact of Pesticides and heavy metals in the harvesting on sea lion ocean may impact sea lions. In Feeding wild marine animals has populations has never been clear. one study, the tissues of females led to numerous problems, that had aborted pups had much including millions of dollars of Since the Marine Mammal higher concentrations of DDT damages to docks and boats Protection Act was passed in than females who carried their caused by the animals looking for People feeding sea lions at pier 39 in San Francisco 1972, the sea lion population has pups to term. more handouts. Though led to millions of dollars grown at a healthy increase of tempting to approach a sea lion, in damages to docks and boats. 10% each year. However, Marine debris is a threat to sea remember that these are wild California sea lions continue to lions. They can become entangled animals and a safe distance be shot by fishermen over in nylon fishing nets or plastic protects both you and the animal competition for fish, particularly packaging materials, causing from harm. salmon. California sea lions often severe injury or drowning. Sea

* Information courtesy of www.SeaWorld.org & www.NationalGeographic.com