Sea Lions & Seals Jamie Barry, Maggie Haas, & Olivia Sanchez Pinnipedia Pinnipedia (“Seals”)
All true seals and sea lions belong to the clade Pinnipedia. This clade is comprised of three families - Odobenidae (Walruses), Otariidae (Eared Seals), and Phocidae (True Seals). The term “seal” commonly refers to the order Pinnipedia, Phocidae (True Seals) Otariidae (Eared Seals) Odobenidae however both sea lions and Ringed seals, harbor Fur seals, sea lions Walruses seals, spotted seals, walruses are also classified as elephant seals, other Pinnipeds. true seals From the Latin pinna, feather or wing, and ped-, foot Who are the Pinnipeds?
Photo by: http://www.pressherald.com/wp- There are currently 33 species of extant content/uploads/2016/03/811802_US_NEWS_ENV-SEALIONS_1_LA.jpg pinnipeds, each one exhibiting a few notable characteristics that distinguish them from other marine mammals.
● They are carnivorous aquatic placental mammals that heavily rely on the use of flipper-like front feet for swimming. ● The hands and feet of the pinniped are elongated and their digits are connected by webs of skin to act as flippers. ● Unlike most other marine species, the Pinnipeds are adapted to feed on fish, pinniped tail is very basic in function, as its mollusks, as well as other forms of marine steering is controlled by backward-facing hind mammal life. feet. Walruses ● These marine mammals are extremely sociable and Odobenus rosmarus can usually be found loudly bellowing and snorting at one another ● Only Native Americans are currently allowed to hunt walruses, as the species' survival was threatened by past overhunting ● Can live up to 40 years in the wild ● Can weigh up to 1.5 tons 6 ● Adult walruses are easily recognized by their prominent tusks, whiskers, and bulkiness ● This species is subdivided into three subspecies ○ The Atlantic walrus, the Pacific walrus, and the O. r. laptevi ● Has a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere 7 Photo by: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walrus Sea Otters ● Member of the Weasel Family Enhydra lutris ● Sea otters have the densest fur in the animal Sea otters are not classified as pinnipeds kingdom, ranging from 250,000 to a million hairs per due to their padded feet, their lack of square inch true flippers, and their thick, dark fur. ○ This is because they don’t have blubber to help keep them warm ● Sea otters are a keystone species ● Sea otters eat urchins, abalone, mussels, clams, crabs, snails and about 40 other marine species ● Native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean ● Hunted extensively for their fur between 1741 and 1911, and the world population fell to 1,000–2,000 individuals living in a fraction of their historic range¹
Photo by: https://www.thinglink.com/scene/694511142789185536 Sea Lions
Photo by: http://a-z-animals.com/animals/sea-lion/ Quick Facts ● Life span: 20 to 30 years ● Gestation: 8 to 18 months, depending on species ● Number of young at birth: Usually one, rarely two
● Size: Females are 4 to 9 feet long; males are 6.5 to 11 feet ● Weight: Females are 110 to 600 pounds; males are 440 to 2,200 Photo by: http://justcuteanimals.com/post/7614 pounds 14 Steller Sea Lion Sea Lions in Eumatopias Jubatus -The most common species found in Alaska Alaska -Also known as “Winnaq” by the 9 ● Alutiiq people What are the different species?
Photo by: https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/project/explore-sandy-beach- ecosystems-of-southern-california/sandy-beach-plants-and- animals/marine
California Sea Lion Zalophus Californianus -54 reported in Alaska from Photo by: http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/education/marine-mammal-information/pinnipeds/steller-sea-lion/ 1974-2004 8 ● They can primarily be found on the California Sea western coasts of Canada, the United States and Mexico 8 Lion ● Scientists have discovered 5 distinct variations of California Sea Lions: Southern Central California stock, Northern Gulf stock, Pacific Tropical stock, Pacific Temperate Stock and the Western Baja California stock ● Although there are some slight variations in habitat and location, California Sea Lions share the majority of their attributes, such as eating and mating behavior, with Steller Sea Lions Photo by: http://www.pittsburghzoo.org/animal.aspx?id=122 8 What do Sea ● Diets depend on region and time of year, Lions eat? but some species remain constant in a Sea Lion diet such as: Arrowtooth Flounder, Walleye Pollock, Atka Mackerel & Cephalopods ○ Referred to as opportunistic hunters ● Popular prey during certain times of year: Pacific cod, salmon and herring ● Occasionally eat true seals for “variety” ● They have the ability to eat prey in its entirety while under water ○ Special teeth ● Scientists study Sea Lion scat for answers 9 Photos by: https://mu-peter.blogspot.com/2014/01/cerebral-cephalopods-heady-head-feet.html http://www.elasmodiver.com/Pacific_Cod_Pictures.htm https://teacheratsea.wordpress.com/tag/mary-murrian-2/ Migration and ● Sea Lions do not migrate, but instead shift their central locations to have easier Breeding access to different types of prey throughout the year ● Rookeries are the optimal spot for summer breeding → then move to more secure haulouts (pieces of land) during the winter months ● Don’t tend to travel extraordinary distances → Pups can only swim approximately 75 miles, non-stop ○ Longest route ever recorded = 1,600 miles from Forrester Island to Cape
9 Photo by: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauling-out Newenham ● Although initially born with dark fur, Life of a Sea Sea Lions lighten over time, most often resulting in a pale yellow Lion color (and some end up a reddish
color) 9 ● Male Sea Lions are easier to spot because of their large bodies (heavy weight), muscular necks and broad foreheads ● Females grow at a rapid pace within the first 4 years, and then plateau, meanwhile the males can
continue even after their 10th year9 9 Photo by: Maggie Haas The life of a Sea ● Sea Lions divide their time between land (rookeries) where they rest and Lion cont. nurse the pups, and water ● Pups learn to fast while the mothers hunt (1-2 day trips) ● Swimming and diving techniques come with age ● Mature Sea lions can dive more than 1,500 feet and stay underwater for at least 16 minutes ● They use their back flippers to change direction and the front flippers Photo by: http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-photos/seal-or-sea-lion to gain speed 9 ● Sea Lions settle in more than 300 haulouts, with preference Sea Lion Habitats towards secluded islands that can protect them from predators ○ Females tend to chose the same haulouts to give birth ● Habitats can range from the North Pacific Rim of Japan to the East of the Aleutian Islands towards the Bering Sea, and
Photo by: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/steller-sea-lion/ South to the Channel Islands off
of California 9
Seals
Photo by: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbor_seal Quick Facts Fully grown male elephant seal
● Life span: 25-30 years ● Gestation: 10 months ● Number of young at birth: One pup per year ● Size: Smallest species is 3-4 feet long (baikal seal), largest is 13-16 feet long (elephant seal) ● Weight: smallest is ringed seal (110- 115 lbs) and the largest is elephant Photo by :http://www.seals-world.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Northern-elephant-seal_624.jpg seal (2,000 lbs for females, up to 8,500 lbs for males) 8,9 Seals Found in Harbor Seal Range Alaska ● The Pacific Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and the Northern Fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) are Photo by: http://www.seattleaquarium.org/view.image?Id=2150 the two species of seal that Northern Fur Seal Range can be found off the coast of Southern Alaska. ● Ice Seals, which include Ringed seals, Harp seals, and Spotted seals, can be found in Arctic regions of Northern Alaska Photo by: https://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/northern-fur-seal- range-map.jpg Ice Seals A Ribbon Seal ● Ringed Seals (Phoca hispida) are among the smallest of the pinnipeds and are known for living in ice lairs in large snowdrifts to hide from predators ○ They are the most common and widespread seal in the Arctic ● Ribbon Seals (Phoca fasciata) are closely related to Harbor Seals and are the rarest seal found in the Arctic. They are known for the 3 large bands of white coloration found on their bodies ● Spotted Seals (Phoca largha) are often confused with Harbor Seals due to their similar coloration and geographic range, however, they give birth to their pups on sea ice, while the Harbor Seals give birth on land ● Bearded Seals (Erignathus barbatus) are the largest species of seal found in Alaska and are vital to coastal Alaskan villages due to the fact that they provide needed meat, oil, and skins to the native 17 communities Photo by :https://alaskafisheries.noaa. gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/ribbonseal_closeup_sm.jpg?itok=gr5p30S0 Each day, the Harbor seal consumes Diet about 5-6% of its body weight. ● Harbor seals and Fur seals will Additionally, these seals rely on food as congregate in intertidal zones and their primary water source, as they are harbors to find squid, crustaceans, unable to consume salt water 10 mollusks, and a variety of fish, including rockfish, herring, flounder, salmon, hake, and sand lance. 8 ● Rather than chewing their food, these seals will eat their food whole or tear it into larger chunks before swallowing it. ○ Strengthened back molars are responsible for crushing shells
10, 11 and crustaceans. Photo by: http://i.cbc.ca/1.2951993.1423595819!/fileImage/httpImage/image. jpg_gen/derivatives/4x3_620/seal-vs-octopus-1-slide-5.jpg Mating Photo by: http://www.zooborns.com/.a/6a010535647bf3970b015431e82c36970c-500wi Fur Seals ● Each year, male Fur seals stake out breeding grounds early in the mating season (Late Spring). During this time, they remain very protective of territory and often use violence to establish dominance ● Pregnant females typically arrive a month after the males, ready to give birth to their pup ● After only two days, the females are ready to mate, and the cycle begins again 9, 11 Harbor Seals ● Harbor seals mate when they are 3-7 years old and mating season runs from late spring Seal pups quickly develop independence into the early fall from their mothers, typically within 3-6 ● During mating season, sexually mature harbor weeks! seals express mating behavior toward others and copulation occurs 8 Behavior ● Northern fur seals are not deep divers either; they usually dive up to about 200 feet and their maximum dives are about 600 feet Photo by: http: ● //www. The Northern Fur seal is pelagic, meaning that they itsnature. org/wp- spend most of their time in the open ocean. As a result, content/uploa ds/2010/07/ha they cannot always find a place to “haul out” and rest rbor- seal_8057.jpg ● Instead, they use a behavior called “jughandling” to rest. To perform this behavior, they keep their front and rear flippers out of the water while gently bobbing on the surface of the ocean88 ● Harbor seals can dive to depths of up to 300 ft and are capable of diving for 5-10 mins at a time ● The Harbor seal’s eyes are well adapted to see in dark underwater conditions - their vision is stronger underwater than above!! 8 ● Every Harbor seal is equipped with vibrissae, whisker- like features used to detect the presence of fish underwater ● The harbor seal will "haul-out" of the water and rest Photo by: http://www.marinebiophotography.com/Sea-Lions-Seals-the-Pinnipeds/Northern-Fur-Seal/i- on rocks or floating pieces of ice to rest for long 4ghk9Kv/1/XL/Callorhinus%20ursinus%20northern%20fur%20seal%20jug%20handle%20on%20surface% periods of time 15, 16 202009%2011-15%20SC%20Bight%20-%20012-XL.jpg Spotting the Difference Seals Sea Lions
The "true" seals lack external ears. Sea lions have small flaps for outer ears.
Seals are quieter, vocalizing via soft grunts. Sea lions are noisy.
Both spend time in & out of the water, Sea lions are able to "walk" on land by however, seals are better adapted to live in the rotating their hind flippers forward and water than on land. underneath themselves.
Seals are less social. They can lead solitary Sea lions congregate in groups that can lives out in the wild, coming ashore together reach up to 1,500 individuals. ² only once a year to mate. The Impact of Climate Change Antarctic Peninsula Warming Krill need ice
● Regional krill abundance correlates with the sea ice extent from the previous winter
Surface air a. Total sea ice cover relates to the amount of
temperatures favorable habitat Sea ice b. Krill need the packed ice during the early rising extents stages of their life to help them evade declining predators ● Krill is a vital food for many sea animals, and the impact that the lack of krill can have on other animals will ultimately affect seals, as well ● Crabeater, Leopard and Weddell seals are all likely to decline as ice shrinks and krill decline ³ Seals and Sea Ice Arctic ice extents shrinking dramatically in summer months
Many seals are adapted to use ice as breeding and resting substrates ³
Photo by: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Average_Monthly_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Extent_-_September_1979_-_2012.png Light Ice Years
Seals pup on sub-optimal substrates
Seals enter water early
Seals are crushed in ice, die of hypothermia, or starve ³
Photo by: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0068779 Threats to Seals ● Although the Western stock ● Human disturbance has declined, the Eastern ○ Seal hunt and intentional killing, whether it be for stock has experienced a sport or personal comfort ● Victims of bycatch in fisheries population increase ● Introduced species, such as dogs, carry diseases that can ○ Establishment of new spread to sea lions 5 rookeries (primarily for breeding) ● Most seals are not considered endangered ○ However, the Galápagos fur seal and the monk seal are both endangered 4
Photo by: http://abcnews.go.com/International/antarctic-weddell-seal-pups-kiss-viral-instagram/story?id=29591625 Short video on the threats that Sea Lions face Seal Hunting ● Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals ● Seals are hunted commercially in Canada, The United States, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Finland, and Sweden ○ Canada has become the center of the sealing debate because of the comparatively large size of its hunt ● In 2007, Norway claimed that 29,000 harp seals were killed in its seal hunt, and Russia and Greenland claimed that 5,476 and 90,000 seals were killed, respectively ○ The actual kills in recent years have been less than the quotas 4
Photo by: http://liberationbc.org/issues/seal_hunt that-will-make-you-want-to-rip-your-hair Photo by: https://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/seal-pups- Seal Hunting Cont.
● Seals have been used for their pelts, flesh, and their fat ○ Fat was often used as lamp fuel, lubricants,
cooking oil, and in soap ● Current rates of decline suggest that the seal hunt will end in 10-20 years 4 ○ Ice declines result in fewer seals, higher mortality rates, and less land that hunters old-pictured-rolling-snow-exploring-surroundings.html 3002604/Cute-melt-stoniest-hearts-Baby-seals-just-days- Photo by: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article- can access ³ ○ The hunt remains highly controversial, attracting significant media coverage and protests each year ○ Canadian seal hunting issues were spotlighted in the months leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver 4 Works Cited
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7 "Walrus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.
13 "Steller Sea Lion Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game." Steller Sea Lion Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2016. http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=stellersealion.main
14 "Mammals | Sea Lion." Sea Lion. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.
15 "Harbor Seal - Phoca Vitulina." New Hampshire Public Television. NHPT, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.
16 "Harbor Seal." Mac Como Zoo. Macalester University, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.
17 "What Are Ice Seals?" North-Slope.Org. North Slope Borough, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.