California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

Pinniped Habitat

At the Aquarium

Pinniped Habitat

Appearance

California sea lions are light to dark brown when dry, but appear black when wet. They have large brown eyes, small external ear flaps, and a dog-like muzzle with long, stiff whiskers. Males are much larger than females. Mature males also have a raised forehead called a sagittal crest.

Habitat

California sea lions generally stay close to shore and it is rare to find them more than 10 miles from the coast. They live in nearshore waters, both on open coasts and in bays and estuaries. “Haul out” areas include sandy beaches, rocky shorelines and man-made areas such as jetties, docks, and buoys.

Diet

They eat whatever is easy to find and catch. In the Pacific Northwest, this includes hake, herring, rockfish, sculpin, salmon, anchovies, lamprey, some sharks and several species of octopus and squi

Life History

Female California sea lions typically stay year around in the same region. During the fall and winter male sea lions will travel north, then return south in the warmer months to the rookeries for mating season.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

California sea lions are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Their population has been growing since these protections have been in place. In recent years, there have been environmental problems that pose challenges for sea lions including entanglement in marine debris, and climate change impacts such as availability of prey.

Sea lions can be found all along the Pacific coast from British Columbia to Baja California. During the breeding season, most of the population moves to the south end of their range. Once the breeding season ends, males migrate northward, sometimes gathering in bachelor rafts.

Sea Lions are common along the central coast of Oregon. In the Newport area a group–called a “raft” of sea lions–has taken up residence in the Yaquina Bay and can often be heard making their distinctive “bark” from miles away. Another and much larger group lives north of Florence and can be easily viewed when visiting the Sea Lion Caves. The sea lion docks are a well known Newport landmark, as well as nearby rocks and docks to lounge upon. Check out newportsealions.com for more information on the Newport sea lion barge, including a live camera to the most notable haul-out location.

California sea lions turn their rear flippers under their bodies to walk on land.

When swimming, they propel themselves with their long front flippers and steer with their rear flippers.

California Sea Lion

California Sea Lion

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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