A Steller sea lion bull was recently observed preying on a California sea lion pup. Seals, Sea Lions and Walruses: A Review of the Pinnipedia. Over the past few years, marine mammal stranding networks and rehabilitation facilities in California have been working in crisis mode. Predators Predation is not a significant threat to healthy adult California sea lions. Subadult male South America sea lions sometimes abduct pups from their mothers and treat them like adult males treat females. . The numbers are simply staggering - over 10 times the average stranding level for the same 5 month period during 2004-2012. The sea lions may be preyed upon by orcas and sharks, as well as coyotes, feral dogs and bald eagles hunting for pups while on land. They have a "dog-like" face, and at around five years of age, males develop a bony bump on top of their skull called a sagittal crest. Common dolphins are fast swimmers, but when this pod knew orcas were present, they fled westward at what seemed like warp speed, porpoising into the northwest winds and uneven seas: prey distancing themselves from predators. Although they usually avoid humans, sea lions may bite if provoked. Marine Mammals of Eastern North Pacific and Artic Waters. Sea lions often body surf. the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic. The sea lion is on the menu for both orcas and white sharks that may enter the bay in search of a meal. Adult females are dark brown but can also appear tan. Because Z. californianus cannot sweat or pant (Odell, 1981), in order to thermoregulate they must alter their exterior environment. Zalophus californianus ssp. Males are highly territorial and polygynous. The lactation period in Z. californianus ranges from six months to a year. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. uses smells or other chemicals to communicate. California sea lions tend to seasonally migrate long distances (Riedman, 1990). London: Academic Press. Both state and federal officials are examining the issue of marine mammal predation closer than ever before. Sea lions feed on a number of species of fish and squid, and are preyed on by orcas and white sharks. To make things worse, sardine populations have been crashing due to a number of factors, including overfishing. They make barks, growls and grunts. photos © 2007-2015 Robin Lindsey. As external factors change, males replace other males on the territory. defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement. Subsistence hunting of California sea lions occurred for several 1000 years, however, commercial harvesting during the 1800s and early 1900s in southern California and Mexico reduced the population to about 1500 animals by the 1920s. The Pennipeds: Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses. They often leap out of the water in a behavior called. 1: The Walrus, Sea Lions, Fur Seals and Sea Otter. Females grow to 220 pounds (110 kg) and up to six feet (1.8 m) in length. Females are free to move in between territories, and are not coerced by males. The fastest swimmers of all pinnipeds, they can reach speeds of up to 30 mph. Often one species locates a school of fish and signals the presence of food to the other species. (Mate, 1979,)(Jefferson et al., 1993), and (Riedman, 1990). Thousands of scrawny sea lion pups and yearlings have shown up on shore - alone, weak and emaciated. All the while, more animals strand daily. Predators of the California sea lion include orcas, great white sharks and bull sharks. Females are smaller, averaging 1.8 meters in length and 91 kg in weight but can reach lengths of 2 meters and weights of 110kg . Most births occur from mid-May to mid-June (Scheffer, 1958) with the majority of pups born in mid-June. Male California sea lions have been observed to help shield swimming pups from predators. The light brown coat is shed after 4 or 5 months and replaced with the adult pelage. Sardines usually are. Mitochondrial DNA sequences in 2009 have identified five distinct California sea lion populations: the U.S. or Pacific Temperate stock, the Western Baja California or Pacific Tropical stock, and the Southern, Central, and Northern Gulf of California stocks. 172-177 in D Haley, ed. Pups have a blackish brown coat, which is molted by the first month and replaced with a light brown coat. While Liner and the CA140 pod finished up with their sea lion, a large pod of common dolphins had detected these apex predators nearby. From 1983 to 1984, Z. californianus experienced a decline of 60 percent in pup production from previous years. Help us improve the site by taking our survey. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services. The name of the California Sea Lion remains somewhat deceptive, as its native range extends well beyond the shores of California, in the United States.In actuality, that range extends along the entire west coast of … emove fishing gear from sea lions in Canada, high levels of PCB's present in sea lions, Read NOAA's fact sheet about the strandings, Related news stories about sea lion crisis in California. California sea lions are top predators, which means these toxins can build up in their bodies, possibly leading to seizures or death from domoic acid poisoning. All California sea lions have black flippers which are coated with short black stubble. Riedman, M. 1990. HUMAN IMPACT Fishery interaction is a constant threat to sea lions and all marine mammals. The U.S. stock breeds mainly in the Channel Islands, although some breeding sites may be established in northern California, and females a… that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle). Odell, D. 1981. fertilization takes place within the female's body, makes seasonal movements between breeding and wintering grounds, eats mollusks, members of Phylum Mollusca. Enlarged saggital crest and a lighter, golden brown in males to a number California... 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