Marine Musings THE
STELLER SEA LION Bud Logan
Photos © Bud Logan
My favorite of all the marine animals
Sea Lions can swim in a burst of up to 40 km but gen-
has to be the Sea Lion. There are seven species of Sea
erally cruise at approximately 15 km. They gain speed
Lions in the world, but only two that live in the waters
by porpoising, gliding on the water's surface to min-
that surround Vancouver Island, the Steller Sea Lion
imize resistance. Surfing in front of waves or large
and the California Sea Lion.
whales seems to be a fun activity for Sea Lions. Sea Lions have often been called the “Angels of the Sea” due
Sea Lions are very interesting animals that can grow
to the unique way that they swim. Sea Lions will use
to be extremely large. Pups only weigh about 6 kg and
their hind flippers to steer and swim using their front
are about 75 cm long when born. Full-grown bulls can reach up to 400 kg, with a length of up to 2.5 meters, with males generally larger than
flippers. The average life span of a sea-lion is around 20 years, although some have been recorded to live into their 30s.
females. They are found in bodies of water all over the world, except the Atlantic Ocean. Many researchers find this very interesting, yet they can’t pinpoint reasons why this is the case. The temperatures are compatible with where some
Sea Lions feed on a variety of organisms such as herring, salmon, rock-fish, hake, squid and octopus. Wild Sea Lions often feed cooperatively, eating 5 - 8% of their body weight each day,
Sea Lions live. There is also plenty of the food that they
which is up to 16 kg of food. Sea Lions have up to 38
consume found there.
teeth that are designed for grasping onto fish.
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