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California Sea Lion

Order: Pinnipedia
Family: Otariidae
Genus and Species: Zalophus californianus

Physical Description: Male California sea lions are dark grayish or chocolate brown, while females are lighter brown. Newborn pups are dark chocolate brown to black and weigh about 13 pounds. Male California sea lions are much larger than females, weighing as much as 1,000 pounds, and measuring up to 8.2 feet long. Females weigh up to 250 pounds and reach lengths of up to 6.6 feet. Sea lions have external ear flaps, large eyes, and 40 to 60 whiskers. Their hind flippers are shorter than the front flippers. Males develop a bony bump on the top of the skull at about age five.

Geographic Distribution: California sea lions live along the Pacific coast of North America, from Canada's British Columbia to Baja California in Mexico.

Habitat: California sea lions live in the waters near and on sandy and rocky shores of coastal islands and mainland.

Diet: Like all pinnipeds, California sea lions eat a wide variety of fish, squid, and octopus.

Reproduction: After a gestation of about 11 months, females come to the shore and, after a few days, give birth, usually to a single pup. They stay with their newborn for several days, before returning to the sea to feed, returning every few days to nurse their young. One pup joins many others to move and play together in a pod, which can range from a few to 200 individuals. Mothers find their own offspring by vocalizing, listening for a bleat in response, and inspecting a pup by sight and smell before letting it nurse. Over time, mothers and their young swim together more and more; the young are weaned at about 11 to 12 months of age.

Behavior: When they are on land, sea lions gather in large groups (as many as 1,000 individuals) and may lie near and on top of each other. In the water, they may float on the surface in small groups called rafts. Younger sea lions, more playful than adults, ride the surf and chase each other. At the beginning of the breeding season, males establish a territory by barking, biting, and shoving. Although they patrol their territory's boundaries, they do not prevent females from leaving.

Fun Facts

California sea lions are among the most vocal mammals, Their vocalizations include barks, roars, growls, and grunts.

Their eyesight and hearing are quite important in the water and on land.

Pups molt twice in the first six months of their life. Adults molt annually, shedding and replacing their guard hairs and underhairs.

Note: There are currently no California sea lions at the Zoo.
A new sea lion exhibit is under construction.

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