The Sea Lion Family includes…
Popular California Sea Lion
The Fur Seals
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However, the Walrus is in a separate pinniped family
The Sea Lions have EarsAnimals: Sleeping Sea Lion
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The California Sea Lion
Rear flippers can move forward, so they can walk and run on land
Uses front flippers in swimming – no hair or nails on the edge
Front flippers can rotate backward to help support weight and keep head up
External testicles present in males
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Sea Lions… Have external ears Have a longer neck than
seals so can support their head upright
Graceful and agile swimmers using mostly their broad front flippers (seals use their back flippers to swim)
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Sea lions… Bulls (males) are
much bigger than cows (females)
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California Sea Lion Most familiar sea lion Trained “barking
seals” you see do tricks at Sea World
Found off the Pacific US coast and Galapagos Islands
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Fur Seals 9 species Similar to the sea
lions but with thick underfur
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Northern Fur Seal Migrate from northern Arctic waters to as far
south as Baja California during winter. Breed in June and give birth in May in northern rookeries.
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Hunted? Once almost wiped out
for their fur Now only subsistence
hunting is allowed and an insignificant amount taken in Russia.
Subsistence hunting is when an animal is taken to feed the hunter of their family.
This is legally practiced by Inuit peoples on many pinneped species.
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Not good…
Now, most are threatened by drowning in fishing nets
They are also killed by fishermen who think they steal their fish
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Remember…
Fur seals are a similar to but smaller than the sea lions
Sea lions and seals are different Sea lions are more predatory and will hunt
and kill smaller seals
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The Walrus
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Walrus Range & Description
Found in both Pacific and Atlantic Arctic areas
Historically as far south as Nova Scotia
No ears, but with rotatable appendages like sea lions
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Large with a pair of tusks
Stiff bristles on snout act as feelers when eating
Have large ivory tusks Can run as fast as a
human!
Habitat Habitat is on
the edges of the ice pack in the Arctic
Migrate south during winter
Hunted legally by natives
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Population Current population estimates place the
Pacific walrus at about 200,000 individuals Though the reproductive cycle is about 2
years between births, the pups remain with the mother for 2 years.
Even though it is the lowest birth rate of all pinnipeds, the population is barely stable
Walrus have a strong fear of humans and machinery noises and will flee en masse
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Size Matters At birth ~125 lbs; 4.5’ long Sexual maturity ~4-5 years Maturity about age 10 Females 1900 lbs; 9 feet long Males grow faster and larger to 15-16 years of
age Avg. over 2,700 lbs in weight and 10.5’ in length Male tusks are stouter & straighter used threat
displays and fighting.
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Feed and be Fed Use bristles to find
food: eat clams and bottom invertebrates
Suck their food into their mouths as they move along the bottom
They are predated upon by polar bears,
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