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California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
California Sea Lion
Behaviour
California Sea Lion
Breeding Behaviour
California sea lions breed on the Channel Islands off southern
California and on islands along the Baja California west coast
and half way into the Sea of Cortez (Reeves et al. 2002). The
largest number breed on San Miguel Island (Wilson and Ruff
1999). Thousands of sea lions haul out on the sandy beaches.
California sea lions are polygynous breeders where adult males
establish territories and where females gather to choose
mates. Males defend these territories for 4 to 6 weeks using
displays backed up occasional fights. A male might hold a
territory for six years (Wilson and Ruff 19999). Pups are born
on land in late May, June and early July. Galapagos sea lions
breed from May to January (Wilson and Ruff 1999). After about
a week, the pups go to sea with their mothers to catch fish
and periodically coming ashore to nurse. While mothers are at
sea, pups will gather in large herds. Pups are weaned after
about a year but some continue to nurse up to two years
(Wilson and Ruff 1999). Females enter estrous a few weeks
after giving birth and prepare to mate.
California Sea Lion
Feeding
Behaviour
California sea lions eat fish and squid by diving to depths of
as much as 500 m but mostly near the surface. Most feeding
takes place near shore, seamounts and continental shelf
regions where ocean water upwells from the depths. These
nutrient laden waters have large schools of fish such as
anchovy, mackereal and rockfish. In the Galapagos, sea lions
eat mostly sardines (Wilson and Ruff 1999). Sea lions can
remain under water for up to 12 minutes (Reeves et al. 2002).
Sea lions also station themselves at mouths of rivers to
intercept fish entering the rivers to spawn.
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