Species: Zalophus californianus

California Sea Lion
Species

    Articles:

    California sea lions in Puget Sound and vicinity

    California sea lions have become common in Puget Sound in non-summer months. The overall trend for the population has been a dramatic increase in numbers since the species was protected in 1972. They are opportunistic feeders that often target herring and juvenile salmon and steelhead species in Puget Sound.

    Image of two California sea lions sitting on rocks.
    Study would explore changes to protections for seals and sea lions

    As wildlife managers work to recover Puget Sound’s diminished Chinook population, a proposed white paper is expected to review the impacts of some of the salmon's chief predators. The study would include a section on potential management of seals and sea lions, prompting open discussion of a long taboo subject: Could officials seek to revise the Marine Mammal Protection Act — or even conduct lethal or non-lethal removal of seals and sea lions in some cases? Such actions are hypothetical, but we look at some of the ongoing discussions around the issue as prompted by a new resolution from the Puget Sound Leadership Council. 

    Harbor Seals sunning on intertidal rocks of Puget Sound. Photo: Tony Cyphert (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/tony717/14630242564
    Year-round algal toxin exposure in free-ranging sea lions

    Sea lions living along the coast of Washington are at risk from harmful algal blooms throughout the year, according to a 2017 study published in the Marine Ecology Progress Series.

    Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus). Photo by NOAA Fisheries.
    Seals and sea lions may be slowing salmon recovery, hurting orcas

    Increased consumption of Chinook salmon by seals and sea lions in the Salish Sea “could be masking the success of coastwide salmon recovery efforts,” according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Endangered resident orcas are said to be declining in part due to a lack of available Chinook, the orcas' preferred prey.

    A young resident killer whale chases a chinook salmon in the Salish Sea near San Juan Island, WA. Sept 2017. Photo: (CC BY-SA 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/21wV8rV
    Study says predators may play major role in chinook salmon declines

    A new study shows that increased populations of seals and sea lions are eating far more of Puget Sound’s threatened chinook than previously known, potentially hampering recovery efforts for both salmon and endangered killer whales. 

    Sea lion sunbathing between meals in Seattle's Eliott Bay. Photo: Johnny Mumbles (CC BY 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/mumbles/3283168713
    Kingdom
    Animalia
    Phylum
    Craniata
    Class

    Mammalia

    Order

    Carnivora

    Family

    Otariidae

    Genus

    Zalophus

    Classification
    Other Global Common Names
    California Sea-lion - León Marino de un Pelo - otarie de Californie
    Informal Taxonomy
    Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Carnivores
    Formal Taxonomy
    Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Carnivora - Otariidae - Zalophus - The English name for sea lions has been inconsistently rendered as sea lion, sealion, and sea-lion (Rice 1998, Wozencraft, in Wilson and Reeder 2005).
    Habitat Type Description
    Marine
    Migration
    false - false - true - After the breeding season (August-September) some adult and subadult males move northward and overwinter as far north as British Columbia; return south March-May. Males from Baja California rookeries arrive in southern California in December-January (Reeves et al. 1992). Migratory status of females and young unclear.
    Non-migrant
    false
    Locally Migrant
    false
    Food Comments
    Opportunistic feeder. Feeds on squid, octopus, and a various fishes, including herring, anchovy, whiting, mackerel, sardines, hake, rock-fish, etc. Males do not feed during breeding season. Lactating females at San Miguel Island forage with 100 km of rookery, in highly productive upwelling areas; most feeding dives are relatively shallow (26-74 m) (Reeves et al. 1992).
    Reproduction Comments
    Males establish breeding territories after arrival of females. Single pups are born mainly in late June in California, late May-January in Galapagos. Females mate 3-4 weeks after giving birth, then make periodic trips to sea to feed. Young are weaned generally in 4-8 months in California but frequently after more than a year and sometimes three years in the Galapagos. Females sexually mature at about 4 years, may live up to 25 years; most adult females breed annually. Males first breed probably at 9-10 years.
    Ecology Comments
    Gregarious at all seasons. Predators include killer whales and sharks, though these have little impact on populations.
    Length
    250
    Weight
    300000
    NatureServe Global Status Rank
    G5
    Global Status Last Reviewed
    2006-01-27
    Global Status Last Changed
    1996-11-18
    Conservation Status Map
    <img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.BC=__&US.CA=SNR&US.OR=S4" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
    Global Range
    Coastal North Pacific, Mazatlan and Baja California to Vancouver Island (males in fall and winter); breeds on San Miguel, San Nicolas, Santa Barbara, and San Clemente islands in southern California; largest breeding colony is on San Miguel Island; a few pups are born occasionally at South Farallon and Ano Nuevo islands off central California; in Mexico, breeds on the Coronados, Guadalupe, San Martin, Cedros, and San Benito islands off the Pacific coast of Baja California, and there are many smaller colonies on islands in the Gulf of California (Keith et al. 1984, Reeves et al. 1992). Galapagos and eastern Asian populations, sometimes included in this species, are now regarded as distinct species.
    ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103040