| Sea Lion, Steller | |||
| Genus | Eumetopias | ||
| Species | jubatus | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Number Left | Fewer than 1000 | ||
| Habitat | Ocean; coastlines | ||
| Distribution | United States (Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington), Canada, Russia; North Pacific Ocean and coasts, EXCEPT population segment west of 144°W Longitude | ||
| Length | 11-12 feet (3.3-3.5 meters) | ||
| Weight | 600-2300 pounds (272-1043 kg) | ||
| Behavior | In late spring and summer, male sea lions come ashore on isolated parts of the coast and claim a territory. If other males arrive, the first male fights to keep the best spots and the right to breed with the females. | ||
| Diet | Fish, clams, and octupuses | ||
| Breeding | Even after the young sea lions are born, the breeding grounds remain violent places. Angry males will sometimes toss newborn pups if they get in the way, and some pups are crushed as the males chase each other. | ||
| Conservation |
Early in the 1800s, many Steller sea lions lived along the California coast. When settlers moved to California, they found that sea lion blubber (fat) provided a ready source of oil for lamps. Between three and four sea lions were needed to make one barrel of oil. By the 1870s, the sea lion population had been drastically reduced.
In 1899, the California Fisheries Commission also announced that these animals were interfering with the state's fishing industry and should be shot on sight. This was done even though another study revealed that sea lions had very little negative effect on the fishing industry. However, many people still believed that Steller sea lions were harmful. The killing of these animals continued on into the 1930s, when a law was finally passed to protect them. Despite protective legislation, the populations are still dropping. Scientists think that global warming may be responsible. As the earth's temperature increases, the water in the southern parts of the sea lion's range may be growing too warm for this mammal and the fish it eats. In parts of Alaska, the population of Steller sea lions has decreased by 82%. From 1963 to 1972, 45,000 pups were killed for their coats. And fishing crews will still kill sea lions when they come too close to a net. | ||
| Interesting Facts |
The Steller sea lion is the largest of the eared seals, which is a family that includes sea lions and fur seals. Other seals are known as true seals. There are two ways to tell these two groups apart: 1.) Eared seals have small ears, whereas true seals have ear openings. 2) Eared seals can walk on four limbs and even run if necessary. True seals cannot walk on land, but rather "hump" or wriggle their bodies across rocks and beaches.
Sea lion breeding grounds are known as rookeries. | ||
| Images and Video Clips | |||
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| Sound Snippet | |||
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1) Bark! Bark! | |||
| Animal Communication Panel | |||
