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Australian Species ThreatenedAustralian Sea-lion cinerea

Conservation Status What does it look like? of colony sites is shallow, protected pools in which pups congregate. The waters The Australian Sea-lion is a handsome adjacent to breeding colonies are also —fin-footed —with a important feeding areas. blunt snout and tightly rolled external ears Unlike other that were with front and hind flippers. Pinnipeds are harvested in during the late 18th, marine , which includes seals, 19th and early 20th centuries, Australian sea-lions and . Sea-lion populations have not yet recovered, Australian Sea-lion males are typically and at some localities there is recent chocolate brown and can reach more evidence of continued population decline. than 2 metres in length and weigh up to Australian Sea-lion . The estimated size of the Australian Sea- Photo by WWF-Canon/John Gibbons 300 kilograms. Females are smaller and lion population is less than 10,000, with their colouring is generally silvery ash-grey 80 per cent occurring in Commonwealth: Vulnerable above and yellow to cream on their under­ and 20 per cent in . (Environment Protection and parts. Females can grow to more than Only five of the 73 known breeding sites 1.5 metres in length and weigh up to Biodiversity Conservation for Australian Sea-lions produce more than 80 kilograms. Act 1999) 100 pups each year, representing 57 per cent of all pups born. These sites, all Where is it found? located in South Australia, are Dangerous South Australia: Rare Reef, Islands, West Waldegrave The Australian Sea-lion is the only (National Parks and Wildlife Island, Seal Bay and Olive Island. Act 1972) pinniped species which is endemic to Australia. It is also the least numerous pinniped species in Australia. They are Did you know... Western Australia: currently found from the Abrolhos Islands ● Australian Sea-lions feed on a wide Specially protected fauna (Western Australia) to the Pages Islands variety of prey including , fish, (South Australia), although their historic (Wildlife Conservation (Specially , rock lobsters and sea birds. range was far more extensive. Protected Fauna) Notice 2003) ● Pups are generally weaned around Australian Sea-lions are unique in having 18 months, usually when the mother large numbers of small, genetically is set to give birth to a new pup. If isolated populations, low reproductive mothers do not pup in consecutive rates, high site fidelity and poor dispersal. seasons they have been known to nurse their pups for as long at 40 months. The sea-lions typically breed and haul- ● Australian Sea-lions can swim great out on rocks and sandy beaches on distances to find food but they always the sheltered sides of islands, although return to the same sites and don’t there are several small colonies on the undertake migrations. Australian mainland. An important feature B u i l d i n g r e s i l i e n c e i n t h r e at e n e d s p e c i e s a n d h ab i tat Changing climate: a major threat

Why is changing climate threatened species in Commonwealth waters Contacts and references without a permit. a problem for Australian Vicki-Jo Russell Management Plans are also in place for a SA Coordinator Sea-lions? number of areas which are home to breeding Threatened Species Network Globally, the 1990s were the warmest decade populations, for example in T (08) 8223 5155 for at least 1000 years, and 2005 has been South Australia. Population surveys at various E [email protected] listed as one of the hottest years on record1. breeding and haul-out sites with occasional Visit: www.wwf.org.au/tsn Increases in sea-surface temperature and pupping are on-going. You can also find out more information ocean acidity will impact on a range of ocean A Draft Recovery Plan for the Australian Sea- about Australia’s threatened species by visiting species including plankton, which forms the www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened lion was released for public comment in 2005 or contacting the Department of the Environment basis of marine food chains, to corals, fish, and is available online at: www.deh.gov.au/ and Heritage Community Information Unit, email seabirds, penguins, seals and sea-lions2. biodiversity/threatened/recovery. [email protected], or freecall 1800 803 772. A significant threat to the Australian Sea-lion is ● AGDEH, (2005) Draft Recovery Plan for the warming waters—reduced and irregular prey How you can help Australian Sea-lion (Nosophora cinerea) Yet availability could result in lower reproduction to be published. ● Minimise disturbance of sea-lions in the and increased mortalities. Many parasites ● Evans, K. (2003) “Pollution and marine water and at coastal sites. mammals in the Southern Hemisphere: and microbes which cause diseases in marine ● Reduce the quantity and impacts of marine potential or present threat?” in Gales, N, also grow faster in warmer waters and debris in Australian waters. Handel, M and Kirkwood R (ends), Marine animals already stressed by rising temperatures ● Support the protection and management of mammals and humans: towards a sustainable may be more susceptible to infection3. key coastal and marine sites and volunteer balance. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. Climate change projections for Australia also in sea-lion surveys through National Parks. ● Shaughnessy, P.D. (1999) “The Action Plan ● Support programs to reduce the discharge for Australian Seals” in CSIRO Wildlife and predict rising sea levels and extreme climate Ecology, Canberra. events4. As nearly all female Australian Sea- of pollutants into the aquatic environment. ● ● Walk, cycle or use public transport. Strahan, R. (1991) The Australian Museum’s lions return to breed at the site where they Complete Book of Australian Mammals, were born5, it is suggested that once their ● Save on heating and cooling costs Cornstalk Publishing, Australia. original habitat is lost, “there is very little by insulating, draught-sealing and shading, while setting thermostats ● McKenzie, J., Goldsworthy, S., Shaughnessy, chance of it being re-established in the short- S., McIntosh, R., (2005) Understanding the appropriately. For more information see term”6. If, as the Intergovernmental Panel on impediments to the growth of Australian Sea- the ‘Heating and Cooling’ fact sheet of lion populations. SARDI, South Australia. Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted, sea the Your Home Technical Manual: levels rise by approximately 9–88 centimetres www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/ 7 between now and 2100 , then many island ● Switch off lights, appliances and equipment and mainland breeding and haul-out sites may when they’re not needed and install Footnotes be altered or lost. energy-efficient fluorescent lamps such as compact fluorescent lights. 1 wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/whatis/ What is being done? ● Minimise waste of packaging and 2 www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/ materials—refuse, reduce, re-use, recycle. marine/problems/climate_change/index.cfm The Environment Protection and Biodiversity ● For other tips on saving energy around the 3 panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/marine/ Conservation Act 1999 provides protection for home, go to the Australian Greenhouse problems/climate_change/altered_lifestyles/ the Australian Sea-lion by making it an offence Office web site: index.cfm to kill, injure, take, trade, keep or move a listed www.greenhouse.gov.au/gwci/index.html 4 www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/migratory/ waterbirds/shorebird-plan/background-paper.htm 5 Campbell, R. “Marine Species Protection Program Completed Projects: The Populations Genetics of Australian Sea-lions, South Australia. Photo by WWF / Frédy Mercay the Australian , Neophoca cinerea” www.nht.gov/nht1/programs/mspp/genetics.html 6 Campbell, R. “Marine Species Protection Program Completed Projects: The Populations Genetics of the , Neophoca cinerea” www.nht.gov/nht1/programs/mspp/genetics.html 7 “Sea level rise ‘is accelerating’” BBC News, 2006, newsbbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-1/hi/sci/ tech/4651876.stm

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