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Monday, December 25, 2023

California Sea Lion Facts: North American Animals

  Rajesh Kumar Rana       Monday, December 25, 2023

 

California Sea Lion Facts: North American Animals
Flickr / GPA Photo Archive


California Sea Lion Facts: North American Animals


Physical Description:

California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are a species of coastal eared seals. They exhibit sexual dimorphism, in which adult males typically have body sizes that are 1.2 times longer and weights that are 3–4 times that of females. They have an average size ranging from 5.5 to 7.25 feet (1.7-2.2 meters). ) and average weights ranging from 610 to 860 lbs (275 to 390 kg). The coat color of these animals ranges from chocolate brown in males to golden brown in females. In males, a sagittal ridge develops at about 5 years of age, which initially appears as a bump on the head. The streamlined body and well-formed flippers of these sea lions allow them to adapt well to aquatic habitats. Thick layers of subcutaneous fat insulate their bodies from the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean.



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Diet:

The California sea lion has an extremely flexible diet with large prey. It depends on how they change their location. They usually feed on four to five species, which are locally abundant in each specific region. Fish, squid and shellfish are all part of the diet of these sea lions throughout most of their range. Pacific sardines, jack mackerel, red octopus and northern anchovies are some of the species most commonly consumed by these animals in the California region. The main prey of sea lions in the Sea of ​​Cortez along the Mexican coast includes the midshipman, deep-sea serrano, Pacific cuttlefish and other native marine species. They usually forage along the coastline and waters above the continental shelf, and also go further to the ocean floor, although less frequently.




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Habitat and Range:

California sea lions inhabit the waters of the Pacific Ocean above the continental shelf and slopes. They are often spotted at river estuaries, bays and on sandy or rocky harbor shores. California sea lions thrive along the western coastline of North America and have been sighted as far north as the Gulf of Alaska and as far south as Punta San Pedrillo, Costa Rica. Nesting (breeding colonies) of these animals can be observed from the islands located in Baja California, Sur (Mexico), to the islands located further north in southern California (USA). This species has been classified as Least Dangerous by the IUCN due to its widespread and growing population size. However, irresponsible fishing practices, poaching and natural disasters, including weather events associated with El NiƱo, contribute significantly to the mortality rate of these sea lions. Killer whales and large sharks are natural predators of this species.


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Behavior:

California sea lions are highly intelligent and playful. They can remain at sea for about 14 days during a single length of time, during which they migrate or forage alone or in groups. These boat trips are usually followed by “take-out” stages, with the sea lions resting at specific locations along the coast. After the breeding season, juvenile sea lions and adult males usually migrate north, with some reaching north as far as Oregon or even British Columbia.The females, however, will continue to forage in the waters closer to the rookeries. Females and juveniles moult in autumn and winter, while males usually molt in January and February. California sea lions have long been the subject of important scientific research because of their high cognitive abilities. Animals were widely used by circuses and marine mammal parks for recreational purposes due to their ability to quickly master performance techniques. However, animal welfare organizations continue to criticize the use of these animals for such purposes.




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Reproduction:

California sea lions reach sexual maturity between 4 and 5 years of age. Breeding takes place during the summer months from May to July. Males strictly defend their territories, often even fasting (abstaining from food) in order to maintain their positions within their respective rookeries. During this time, they depend on their fat as a source of stored energy. Women choose their partners, moving from one territory occupied by men to another within the rookery. With a gestation period of 11 months and only one puppy produced by a female per year, the growth rate of these animals is rather slow. Newborn puppies are cared for by their mothers for about 10 days, after which the females begin to return to the water to feed. Sometimes they get food for 3 days, while the puppies stay on the shore and play or communicate with each other. Females return again to feed their puppies for short periods of time, usually no more than a day. The bond between mother and puppy is different for each pair, and after a certain stage, the puppies begin to enter the water with their mother to develop their own foraging skills. Adult male sea lions play a minor role in puppy raising, but show relatively higher levels of involvement than males of other otariidae (eared seal) species. and after a certain stage, the puppies begin to enter the water with their mother to develop their own foraging skills. Adult male sea lions play a minor role in puppy raising, but show relatively higher levels of involvement than males of other otariidae (eared seal) species. and after a certain stage, the puppies begin to enter the water with their mother to develop their own foraging skills. Adult male sea lions play a minor role in puppy raising, but show relatively higher levels of involvement than males of other otariidae (eared seal) species.



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Where do California sea lions live?

California sea lions inhabit the waters of the Pacific Ocean above the continental shelf and slopes. They are often spotted at river estuaries, bays and on sandy or rocky harbor shores. California sea lions thrive along the western coastline of North America and have been sighted as far north as the Gulf of Alaska and as far south as Punta San Pedrillo, Costa Rica.



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