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Sealion information

• sea ​​lion 

The sea lion is one of the six types of seals found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, where seals are divided into earless and earless, and the sea lion falls under the latter and belongs to the pinnipeds that can rotate their hind fins forward to use their four limbs when moving on the sea  The reason for its name is that male sea lions have a crest similar to that of lions and have a roaring sound that they use to defend their females, and sea lions are hunted on a small scale for their meat and skin, and this article will present information about sea lions.

• Characteristics and types of sea lions

Sea lions have a short, coarse coat of hair and have longer fins than true seals. Sea lions feed primarily on fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods such as squid and octopus, but may also feed on penguins. Sea lions breed in large flocks, and a brown sea lion is born after gestation. They reach 12 months, and several types of sea lions are distinguished by several characteristics, and these types are as follows:

1-The California sea lion is located along the western coast of North America, from the Gulf of Alaska to Costa Rica. It is a trained species that is commonly seen in zoos. It has large, playful eyes. The male may reach about 2.5 meters in length and weigh 400 kg, and the female grows to about 1.8 meters and 90 kg. The California sea lion can live more than 30 years if it is in confinement, but less than that if it is in the wild. This is a common misunderstanding.

2-Galapagos Sea Lion: It is smaller than the California sea lion and similar in appearance, and the weight of adult males reaches 250 kg, while the weight of adult females is between 50 and 100 kg. Although most Galapagos sea lions are concentrated in the waters surrounding the Galapagos archipelago, some individuals have established a semi-permanent colony on the Isla de la Plata near the coast of Ecuador.

3-The Northern sea lion; also called "Steller", has a pale to the gilt brown color in the Bering Sea and both sides of the North Pacific Ocean. It is the largest member of the sea lion family, with males about 3.3 meters long and weighing 1,000 kg, while females are about 2.5 meters in size and weigh less than 300 kg. Northern sea lions eat fish, octopus, squid, other mollusks, and crustaceans, and due to their enormous size and aggressive nature, they are rarely kept in confinement.

4-The southern sea lion has a brownish color with a yellowish-orange belly and swims in coastal waters from northern Peru south to Tierra del Fuego and even around the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. The male is about 2.5 meters long and weighs 200–350 kg, while the female is about 1.8 meters and weighs 140 kg. Most sea lions in South America eat mostly fish, squid, and crustaceans, but may sometimes kill and eat other seals. 

5-Australian Sea Lion: Found in South Australia and along the southern coast of Western Australia, the adult male is 2.5 meters long and weighs 300 kg, while the females are 1.5 meters long and weigh less than 100 kg.

6- New Zealand sea lion: Also called "Hawkers", this species is found only in New Zealand, where the males are 2.0 to 2.5 meters in length and the females from 1.5 to 2.0 meters and have a weight slightly less than that of the Australian sea lion.

• Threats to the sea lion

In a study in which researchers focused on the "Steller" sea lion, which is the largest member of the eared seal family, scientists found that the numbers of sea lions have decreased by 80% from their peak about four decades ago, and the results of the study indicated that the increasing predation on this species This is the main reason for this decline, and because young sea lions spend more time near the shore where their mothers breastfeed them, predators can easily find them. Among the worst enemies of sea lions are the following:

Killer whales: or orcas, commonly precede sea lions, as research indicates that an adult killer whale must consume between 2 and 3 young sea lions or a lion per day. An adult female marine fishes every two to three days to meet her calorie needs.

Sharks: especially the Pacific shark.

The fishermen: who felt that the animals were eating the fish, shot them, but the awareness and education activities contributed to stopping the shooting to a large extent, according to a statement issued by the "NOAA" department.

Human waste: like garbage that is thrown in vain in the oceans.

 El Niño: A 1998 El Nino pattern heated water off the California coast, causing fish to migrate further from shore and making it difficult for mothers to care for their babies.