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California Sea Lions

California Sea Lions. Zalophus Californianus By Josh Gustavus & Candyce Cooley. A Few Facts. The Sea Lion is considered to be a pinniped which means that it features a winged foot. There are seven known Sea Lion species that have been identified

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California Sea Lions

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  1. California Sea Lions Zalophus Californianus By Josh Gustavus & Candyce Cooley

  2. A Few Facts • The Sea Lion is considered to be a pinniped which means that it features a winged foot. • There are seven known Sea Lion species that have been identified • The California Sea Lion is the one most people are familiar with. • The males are called bulls and the females are called cows. • Their offspring are called pups.  • A large group of Sea Lions is referred to as a colony • The average life span in the wild for a Sea Lion is 18 years. In captivity they live an average of 23 years. • Sea Lions get there name because of the their loud roars they produce like lions.

  3. They can swim at up to 25 MPH which most people don’t realize. Generally they only move about 10 MPH unless they feel threatened. • Sea Lions may appear lazy but they simply enjoy relaxing and basking in the sun.

  4. Where they are Found The California sea lions can be found mostly in the warmer climates of California and Mexico but can be found from Vancouver Island to the tip of Baja in Mexico. There used to be a group of California sea lions found in Japan but they became extinct during World War II.

  5. What They Eat • California sea lions are predators that obtain all their food from the sea. They feed on more than 50 species of fish and cephalopods, feeding primarily on squid, octopus, hake, northern anchovy, opal eye, and herring. • California sea lions eat about 5% to 8% of their body weight per day equivalent to 15-40 lb. • They don't chew their food. They swallow it whole or tear it into chunks. • Like other Sea Lions they only feed on items found in the ocean. They aren’t picky about what they consume as long as they get to eat large amounts each day

  6. A Sea Lion is able to dive up to 600 feet for food in the water. They can remain under the water for up to 40 minutes before they must surface for air. This is accomplished by pinching their nostrils together instinctively as they enter the water. They will remain closed until they need to take a breath

  7. Reproduction • The gestation period for a female to carry a pup is 11 months. • They tend to breed on the same section of beach year after year • Most California Sea Lion pups are born in June or July • Most pups weigh between 13 & 20 pounds at birth and are about 75 cm long • Pups are well developed at birth. • They are born with their eyes open and can vocalize. • Within 30 minutes they are able to shake, groom, scratch, and walk.

  8. Care of Young • The female may smell, nuzzle, pull, and nip at her pup • Pups appear to be able to swim at birth, although their movements are not well coordinated. • Mothers recognize pups in crowds through smell and vocalizations. • Pups learn to recognize the smell and vocalizations of their mothers

  9. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS • Male California Sea Lions reach about 6.5–8 ft and weigh 440–880 lb. • Female California Sea Lions reach about 5–6.5 ft and weigh 110–240 lb.

  10. Fore Flippers The fore flippers have all the major skeletal elements of the forelimbs of land mammals, but they are modified for swimming. The "arm" bones are shortened, and the flippers are lengthened at the tips of the finger bones

  11. Hind Flippers • Like land mammals, sea lions have five digits in the hind limbs. • On land, a sea lion can rotate its hind flippers underneath the pelvic girdle, enabling it to support its weight and walk on all fours. • In the water, a sea lion extends its hind flippers and uses them to help steer.

  12. Tail A California sea lion has a small, flattened tail between the hind flippers

  13. Flexibility They are very flexible due to the design of their bodies. As you can see they are able to bend so that their noses touch the tip of the back flippers.

  14. Behavior • All species of Sea Lions are very social, but the California Sea Lions seem to be even more so. They can become a very noisy group with such large numbers of them hanging out in one location. They will pack in close together even though they have plenty of other room to spread out if they wanted to. • They are sometimes seen jumping out of the water, presumably to speed up their swimming.

  15. They are known to be the most intelligent of all Sea Lions. This is why they are the ones trained for entertainment as well as for the needs of the United States Navy. They are often called upon to help with tasks that have to be completed under water.

  16. predators • Sea lions have three main predators the Killer Whale, Large Sharks, and humans. • The biggest threat of course would be humans both on land and in water. • Many researchers believe that the sea lion can easily swim faster then killer whales and sharks. However it is often the element of surprise that results in them being prey for these predators.

  17. Human Impact • California sea lions continue to be shot by fishermen over competition for fish, particularly salmon. • Pesticides and heavy metals in the ocean are also harmful • Marine debris is a big threat. • They can become entangled in nylon fishing nets or plastic packaging materials, causing severe injury or drowning. Sea lions also ingest plastic debris, which can cause obstructions in the digestive tract.

  18. Even though the California Sea Lion isn’t considered to be in danger at this time, there are efforts in place to protect them. California laws are in place to try to reduce the number of them that are injured or killed in boating accidents. They also strive to keep the waters clean and to make sure humans aren’t intentionally harming them

  19. Work cited page • www.Seaworld.org/animai-linfo • www.Sealion-world.com • www.Marinemammalcenter.org • www.Nmfs.Noaa.gov

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