NationMaster - Encyclopedia: California sea lion

The California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) is a coastal sea lion of the northern Pacific Ocean. Their numbers are abundant (188,000 U.S. stock 1995 est.^[1]), and the population continues to expand at a rate of approximately 5.0% annually.^[2] They are quite intelligent, can adapt to man-made environments, and even adult males can be easily trained. Because of this, California sea lions are commonly used for entertainment in circuses, zoos and marine parks; and are used by the US Navy for certain military operations. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3456x2304, 4800 KB) Photographed by and copyright of (c) David Corby (User:Miskatonic, uploader) 2006 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): California Sea Lion Sea Lion User... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass â€ Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass â€ Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or ; from Latin carÅ (stem carn-) flesh, + vorÄre to devour) includes over 260 species of placental mammals. ... Families Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae Pinnipeds (fin-feet, lit. ... Binomial name Zalophus californianus (Lesson, 1828) The California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus californianus) is a coastal sea lion of the eastern Pacific often associated with marinas and wharves. ... Theodore Nicholas Gill (1837 - 1914) was an American ichthyologist. ... Latin name redirects here. ... RenÃ© Lesson. ... Genera Eumetopias <marquee> Zalophus Otaria Neophoca Phocarctos A resting Sea Lion in Galapagos National Park, Ecuador. ... For other uses, see Circus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Zoo (disambiguation). ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ...

Description

California sea lions grow to 390 kg (860 lb) and 2.4 meters (8 ft) long, while females are significantly smaller, at 110 kg (240 lb) and 2 meters (6.5 ft) long. The have pointed muzzles, making them rather dog-like. Males grow a large crest of bone on the top of their heads as they reach sexual maturity, and it is this that gives the animal its generic name (loph is "forehead" and za- is an emphatic; Zalophus californianus means "Californian big-head"). They also have manes, although they are not as well developed as the manes of adult male South American or Steller sea lions. Females are lighter in color than the males and pups are born dark, but lighten when they are several months old. When it is dry the skin is a chocolate brown color. Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, â€² â€“ a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Otaria redirects here. ... Binomial name Eumetopias jubatus Schreber, 1776 The Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus also known as the Northern Sea Lion and Stellers sea lion, is a sea lion of the northern Pacific. ...

Distribution and habitat

As its name suggests, the California sea lion is found mainly around the waters of California. It also lives around Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia to the north and Mexico to the south. The Galápagos Sea Lion and the extinct Japanese Sea Lion were once considered subspecies of the Californian sea lion. Now these two populations are generally considered as distinct species.^[3] This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... Motto: Splendor sine occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 36 Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area Ranked 5th Total 944... Binomial name (Sivertsen, 1953) Synonyms Zalophus californianus ssp. ... Binomial name (Peters, 1866) The Japanese Sea Lion (Zalophus japonicus or Zalophus californianus japonicus) is thought to have become extinct in the 1950s. ...

California sea lions breed from the Channel Islands off Southern California to Mexico. Major breeding sites are San Miguel and the San Nicolas islands. Non-breeding populations live as far north as British Columbia. The Channel Islands of California, also called the Santa Barbara Islands, are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America. ... San Miguel is: San Miguel is a town in San Luis Obispo County in California San Miguel is the name of a county in New Mexico San Miguel is the name of a town in the Philippine province of Leyte A city in Tabasco is called San Miguel The biggest...

California sea lions prefer to breed on sandy beaches in the southern part of their range. They usually stay no more than 10 miles out to sea.^[4] On warm days they stay close to the water's edge. At night or on cool days, the sea lions will move inland or up coastal slopes. Outside of the breeding season they will often gather at marinas and wharves and may even be seen on navigational buoys. These man-made environments provide safety from their natural predators, orcas and white sharks. A small marina at Brixham, Devon, England. ... Metung Wharf on Bancroft Bay, Gippsland Lakes, Victoria, Australia A wharf is a fixed platform, commonly on pilings, roughly parallel to and alongside navigable water, where ships are loaded and unloaded. ... Buoys redirects here. ... Binomial name Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758 Orca range (in blue) The Orca or Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) is the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). ... Binomial name Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) The Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as White Pointer, White Shark or Amaletz, is an exceptionally large lamniform shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans. ...

Behavior

Diet and hunting

California sea lions feed on a wide variety of seafood, mainly squid and fish. Commonly eaten fish and squid species include salmon, hake, Pacific whiting, anchovies, herring, and market squid.^[5] They feed mostly around the edge of the continental shelf as well as sea mounts, the open ocean and the ocean bottom. Average annual food consumption of males in zoos increases with age to stabilize at approximately 4,000 kg/year by the age of 10 years. Females showed a rapid increase in average annual food consumption until they were 3 years old. Thereafter, females housed outdoors averaged 1,800 kg/year.^[6] For other uses, see Santa Cruz. ... For other uses, see Salmon (disambiguation). ... The term hake refers to fish in either of: families Gadidae (subfamily Phycinae) families Merlucciidae (both subfamilies Merlucciinae and Steindachneriinae). ... Binomial name (Ayres, 1855) The North Pacific hake, Pacific hake, or Pacific whiting, Merluccius productus, is a merluccid hake of the genus Merluccius, found in the north east Pacific Ocean from northern Vancouver Island to the northern part of the Gulf of California, from the surface to depths of 1... Genera Amazonsprattus Anchoa Anchovia Anchoviella Cetengraulis Coilia Encrasicholina Engraulis Jurengraulis Lycengraulis Lycothrissa Papuengraulis Pterengraulis Setipinna Stolephorus Thryssa The anchovies are a family (Engraulidae) of small, common salt-water fish. ... Species Clupea alba Clupea bentincki Clupea caspiopontica Clupea chrysotaenia Clupea elongata Clupea halec Clupea harengus Clupea inermis Clupea leachii Clupea lineolata Clupea minima Clupea mirabilis Clupea pallasii Clupea sardinacaroli Clupea sulcata Herrings are small, oily fish of the genus Clupea found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Atlantic... Sediment Rock Mantle The global continental shelf, highlighted in cyan The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas (known as shelf seas) and gulfs. ...

California sea lions may eat alone or in small to large groups depending on the amount of food available. They will cooperate with dolphins, sharks, and seabirds when hunting large schools of fish. Sea lions from the state of Washington will wait at the mouths of rivers for the salmon run. They also have learned to feed on steelhead and white sturgeon below fish ladders at Bonneville Dam and at other locations in the Columbia River, Willamette River, and in Puget Sound. For other uses, see Dolphin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Shark (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Rainbow trout. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bonneville Lock and Dam is several dam structures that together complete a span of the Columbia River between the US states of Oregon and Washington at River Mile 146. ... The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ... The Willamette River (pronounced wil-LAM-met) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 240 mi (386 km) long, in northwestern Oregon in the United States. ... Puget Sound For the university in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ...

Adult females forage between 10 and 100 km from the rookery and dive to average depths of 31.1 to 98.2 m, with maximum dives between 196 and 274 m. They travel at an estimated speed of 10.8 km/h, and young sea lions have an initial defecation time averaging 4.2 hours. Adult females spend 1.6-1.9 days on land and 1.7-4.7 days at sea.^[7]

Reproduction

California sea lions are highly social and breed around May to June. When establishing a territory, the males will try to increase their chances of breeding by staying on the rookery for as long as possible. During this time, they will fast, using their blubber as an energy store. Size is a key factor in winning fights and well as waiting. The bigger the male the more blubber he can store and the longer he can wait. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 533 pixelsFull resolution (3504 Ã— 2336 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 533 pixelsFull resolution (3504 Ã— 2336 pixel, file size: 1. ... Sea lions on Pier 39 A musician performs at Pier 39. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

A male sea lion can only hold his territory for up to 27 days. Females do not become receptive until 21 days after the pups are born, thus the males do not set up their territories until after the females give birth. Most fights occur during this time. Soon, the fights go from violent to ritualized displays such as barking, head-shaking, stares, and bluff lunges. There can be as many as 16 females for one male.

The females have a 12-month gestation period and give birth around June and August. Mothers may give birth on land or in water. The pups are born with their eyes open and can vocalize with their mothers. Pups may nurse for up to six months and grow rapidly due to the high fat content in the milk. California Sea Lions are the only mammals whose milk does not contain lactose. At about two months the pups learn to swim and hunt with their mothers. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 Ã— 1704 pixel, file size: 1 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 Ã— 1704 pixel, file size: 1 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Buoys redirects here. ... Sea Lions at the marina Fishermans Wharf is an historic wharf in Monterey, California. ... Lactose is a disaccharide that consists of Î²-D-galactose and Î²-D-glucose molecules bonded through a Î²1-4 glycosidic linkage. ...

Non-breeding activities

After the breeding season, female California sea lions normally stay in southern waters while the adult males and juveniles generally migrate north for the winter. Social organization during the non-breeding is unstable. However, a size-related dominance hierarchy does exist. Large males use vocalization and movement to show their dominance and smaller males always yield to them. Non-breeding groups are gregarious on land and often squeeze together. Most sea lions found in man-made environments are males or juveniles, because sea lions don’t breed there and it is mostly those groups that migrate to those places during the non-breeding season.

Interactions with humans

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1728 Ã— 2304 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1728 Ã— 2304 pixel, file size: 1. ...

In entertainment

Most of the iconic trained seals of circuses and marine parks are California sea lions. They are highly intelligent and can be trained to do different tricks such as throwing and catching balls on their noses, running up ladders, or honking horns in a musical fashion. Even adult males can be trained. Some groups, such as the Captive Animals Protection Society, object to using sea lions for entertainment, claiming the animals are used as "clowns" in unnatural environments and are simply gimmicks with no educational value.^[8] On the other hand, people have claimed that training captive sea lions has allowed them to experience just how intelligent they are. Clowning redirects here. ... A gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something stand out from its contemporaries. ...

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 519 pixelsFull resolution (2001 Ã— 1297 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 519 pixelsFull resolution (2001 Ã— 1297 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Use in the Navy

The California sea lion is used in military applications by the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program. These include detecting underwater landmines and equipment recovery.^[9] Sea lions can be highly useful as they can reach places inaccessible to human divers. They can dive to 1,000 feet and swim up to 25 miles per hour in short bursts. They can also swim silently in the water. The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program (NMMP) is a program administered by the U.S. Navy which studies the military use of marine mammals â€” principally Bottlenose Dolphins and California Sea Lions â€” and trains circus animals to perform tasks such as ship and harbor protection, mine detection and clearance, and... U.S. Army soldier removes fuse from a Russian-made mine to clear a minefield outside of Fallujah, Iraq. ...

Sea lions have been sent in the Persian Gulf to protect U.S. ships from enemy divers. ^[10] The animals are trained to swim behind divers approaching a ship and attach a clamp, which is connected to a rope, to the diver's leg. Navy officials say that the sea lions can get the job done in seconds and the enemy doesn’t know the clamp was attached to his leg until it’s too late. Map of the Persian Gulf. ... For other uses, see Clamp. ...

Status

California sea lions are protected under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. However their population has been increasing and conflicts with humans and other wildlife has increased. California sea lions have damaged docks and boats, stolen fish from commercial boats, and have injured swimmers in San Francisco Bay. Because of this, they have been shot at by locals and fishermen. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1275x835, 494 KB) Hundreds of California Sea Lions sunbathing on Pier 39 in San Francisco. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1275x835, 494 KB) Hundreds of California Sea Lions sunbathing on Pier 39 in San Francisco. ...

In 2007, legislation was introduced (HR 1769: Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act) that would amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to permit lethal California sea lion removal from near salmon runs when their population exceeds a determined maximum sustainable level. The purpose of HR 1769 is to relieve pressure on the precipitously declining salmon populations of the Pacific Northwest. Officially, pinnipeds account for only an estimated 4%^[11] of salmon loss in 2007. However, the 4% predation number comes from actual observation of predation; because much of the predation occurs underwater, marine biologists believe that the true rate is far higher. ^[12]

Short of lethal removal, attempts have been made to identify California sea lions that are aggressive salmon predators and to relocate these members from the area near salmon runs. However, relocation generally fails as the sea lions simply return. In January 2008, at the request of Washington and Oregon, the National Marine Fisheries Service has drafted a proposal to euthanize approximately 30 animals annually at Bonneville Dam. ^[13] The Humane Society threatened a lawsuit. In response, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled for the animals to be removed but not killed.^[14] A humane society is a group that aims to stop animal and human suffering due to cruelty or other reasons. ...

Gallery

References and external links

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) is a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Genera Arctocephalus Callorhinus Eumetopias Neophoca Otaria Phocarctos Zalophus The eared seals (or walking seals), family Otariidae, are the fur seals and the sea lions. ... Phyla Subkingdom Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subkingdom Agnotozoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Subkingdom Metazoa Radiata Cnidaria Ctenophora - Comb jellies Bilateria Protostomia Acoelomorpha Platyhelminthes - Flatworms Nemertina - Ribbon worms Gastrotricha Gnathostomulida - Jawed worms Micrognathozoa Rotifera - Rotifers Acanthocephala Priapulida Kinorhyncha Loricifera Entoprocta Nematoda - Roundworms Nematomorpha - Horsehair worms Cycliophora Mollusca - Mollusks Sipuncula - Peanut worms Annelida - Segmented... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or ; from Latin carÅ (stem carn-) flesh, + vorÄre to devour) includes over 260 species of placental mammals. ... Families Canidae Felidae Herpestidae Hyaenidae Mephitidae Mustelidae Nandiniidae Odobenidae Pinnipedia Procyonidae Ursidae Viverridae The diverse order Carnivora includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Genera Callorhinus Arctocephalus Fur seals, or Arctocephalinae make up one of the two distinct groups of marine mammals called seals. Fur seals are usually smaller than sea lions and have a coat of dense fur intermixed with guard hairs. ... Species Arctocephalus gazella Arctocephalus townsendi Arctocephalus philippii Arctocephalus galapagoensis Arctocephalus pusillus Arctocephalus forsteri Arctocephalus tropicalis Arctocephalus australis The genus Arctocephalus consists of eight of the nine species of fur seal. ... Binomial name Peters, 1875 The Antarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus gazella) is one of seven seals in the genus Arctocephalus. ... Binomial name Merriam, 1897 Dark blue: breeding colonies; light blue: other colonies. ... Binomial name Arctocephalus philippii Peters, 1866 The Juan Fernandez Fur Seal (Arctocephalus philippii) is a fur seal that breeds on the Juan Fernandez Islands off the coast of Chile. ... Binomial name Arctocephalus galapagoensis Heller, 1904 The Galapagos Fur Seal is the smallest of all the pinnipeds. ... Binomial name (Schreber, 1775) Distribution of the Cape Fur Seal, dark blue: breeding colonies; light blue: non-breeding individuals The Cape Fur Seal (also known as the South African Fur Seal and the Australian Fur Seal) is a species of fur seal. ... Binomial name Arctocephalus fosteri Lesson, 1828 The New Zealand (or Southern) Fur Seal (Arctocephalus fosteri, Maori name kokono) is a species of fur seal found around the south coast of Australia, the coast of the South Island of New Zealand, and some of the small islands to the south and... Binomial name Arcetocephalus tropcalis , The Subantarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) is a fur seal found in the southern parts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. ... Binomial name Arcetocephalus australis Zimmermann, 1783 The South American Fur Seal (Arcetocephalus australis) is a species of fur seal that breeds on the coasts of Chile and Argentina. ... Binomial name Callorhinus ursinus Linnaeus, 1758 Range map The Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus, is an eared seal. ... Binomial name Callorhinus ursinus Linnaeus, 1758 Range map The Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus, is an eared seal. ... Genera Eumetopias <marquee> Zalophus Otaria Neophoca Phocarctos A resting Sea Lion in Galapagos National Park, Ecuador. ... Binomial name Eumetopias jubatus Schreber, 1776 The Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus also known as the Northern Sea Lion and Stellers sea lion, is a sea lion of the northern Pacific. ... Binomial name Eumetopias jubatus Schreber, 1776 The Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus also known as the Northern Sea Lion and Stellers sea lion, is a sea lion of the northern Pacific. ... Binomial name Neophoca cinerea Peron, 1816 The Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea) is a species of sea lion that breeds only on the south coast of Australia. ... Binomial name Neophoca cinerea Peron, 1816 The Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea) is a species of sea lion that breeds only on the south coast of Australia. ... Otaria redirects here. ... Otaria redirects here. ... Binomial name Phocarctos hookeri (Gray, 1844) The New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) or Hookers Sea Lion is a species of sea lion that breeds around the coast of the South Island of New Zealand and Stewart Island/Rakiura, to some extent, and to a greater extent around much... Binomial name Phocarctos hookeri (Gray, 1844) The New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) or Hookers Sea Lion is a species of sea lion that breeds around the coast of the South Island of New Zealand and Stewart Island/Rakiura, to some extent, and to a greater extent around much... Binomial name Zalophus californianus (Lesson, 1828) The California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus californianus) is a coastal sea lion of the eastern Pacific often associated with marinas and wharves. ... Binomial name (Sivertsen, 1953) Synonyms Zalophus californianus ssp. ...

Contents

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