California
Eumetopias jubatus   Photos by NOAA-National Marine Fisheries Service and National Marine Mammal Laboratory | |
| Type of Animal: | Mammals |
|---|---|
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Otariidae |
| Federal Status: | Threatened |
| State Status: | |
| Occurrence: | |
| Habitat: | Coasts |
| Description: | Also called Northern sea lions, these are the largest animals in the Otariidae family. They spend most of their time on shore, and usually only venture into water when they sense danger or are hunting for food. Stellar sea lions mainly feed on fish, although they will occasionally eat squid and shellfish. When feeding they stay in relatively shallow waters (less than 600 feet deep) and they always stay within 15 miles of shore. Like harbor seals, stellar sea lions may follow their prey into a river system for a few miles. The breeding season takes place from May to August. Females can begin breeding when they are three years old, whereas males do not begin breeding until they are nine or ten years old! When the sea lions are ready to breed, they migrate to breeding colonies where one male sea lion may mate with up to 30 females in the colony. This group of females is referred to as his "harem", and he will ferociously defend them against other males. When the females arrive at the breeding colony they are still pregnant from the year before. Within about three days they have their pups (one per female) and two weeks later they mate again. The pups are dependent on their mothers for about one year, and rarely some pups are not weaned until they are two or three years old. When the pups become adults and are ready to breed, they will return to the same breeding site where they were born. Predators of stellar sea lions include killer whales and various species of sharks. Male sea lions typically only live into their teenage years, while females may live for up to 30 years. |
| Effort: | "The population size of steller sea lions has been declining, although the reasons for this decline are not clear. This species is currently protected under federal law in both the United States and Canada. However, some commercial fisheries have valid permits that were issued before the law went into effect that allow them to take up to 1,350 sea lions per year. The Californias coast has several rookeries, which are the areas where the breeding colonies meet. These areas are very important to the survival of this species." |
| References: | Jameson et al. 1988. California Mammals. Wilson et al. (editors). 1999. The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Whitaker (editor). 1998. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals, Revised Edition. Zeiner et al. (editors). 1990. California’s Wildlife, Volume III, Mammals. |
| Other Sites: | NOAA - National Marine Fisheries Service |
| Field Office(s): | Arcata; Bakersfield |