Seals, Sealions, Stellar Sea Lions, Marine Mammals

CALIFORNIA SEA LION - Zalophus Califonianus
The sea lion lives off the west coast of North America from Baja California to Alaska. It is a vertebrate which means it has a backbone. The sea lion lives in warm climates and migrates south to warmer climates when the temperature cools down. It is a mammal which means it has mammary glands that produce milk for its young. The physical features are growth of 5-11 feet in length and weight from 77-2400 lbs. Usually, the male is bigger than the female. The Sea Lion can swim fast. They are often in groups. The sea lion has whiskers, a little fur, blubber, and fins.
STELLER OR NORTHERN SEA LION- Eumetopias jubatus
Stellar Sea Lions variety of sea lions which live at Sea Lion Caves is commonly called the Northern, or Steller, sea lion. This sea lion is named after George Wilhelm Steller, an eminent German naturalist who accompanied the Russian explorer Vitus Bering in 1741 on his second Alaskan expedition.Sea Lions are pinnipeds - literally, feather-footed - meaning they have finlike members for propulsion. They are warm blooded mammals with top speeds of 17 mph.
Steller or northern sea lions are sometimes confused with California sea lions, but are much larger and lighter in color. Males may grow to 11 feet (3.25 m) in length and weigh almost 2,500 pounds (1120 kg). Females are much smaller, and may grow to nine feet (2.9 m) in length and weigh 1,000 pounds (350 kg). Steller sea lions are light tan to reddish brown in color. They have a blunt face and a boxy, bear-like head. Adult males do not have a visible sagittal crest (the bump on the top of their heads) as is seen in adult male California sea lions. Stellers have a bulky build and a very thick neck, which resembles a lion's mane, hence the name "sea lion."
FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE -
- STELLER OR NORTHERN SEA LION- Eumetopias jubatus description at the Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito (click here)
- http://stellersealions.noaa.gov STELLER OR NORTHERN SEA LION- Eumetopias jubatusOverview The listing of the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1990 created new challenges for fisheries managers in the National Marine Fisheries Service and the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council. Managers must balance between two sometimes conflicting objectives: protecting and aiding the recovery of the Steller sea lion under the Endangered Species Act while at the same time providing for sustainable and economically viable fisheries under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Seals (Phocidae)
NORTHERN FUR SEAL - Callorhinus ursinus
Fur seals have ears that extend from the skull. Fur seals are valued for their pelts.Fur seals are known and named for their thick fur, which has 300,000 hairs per square inch. The front flippers of fur seals are used to propel them thru the water. The front flippers are long and paddle-like, more than 1/4 of the length of the body. Fur seals can use their front and rear flippers to walk on the land.
FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE -NORTHERN FUR SEAL Callorhinus ursinus description at the Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito (click here)
See our blog on a recent escorting of Fur seals for release.
HARBOR SEAL - Phoca vitulina
Harbor seals have spotted coats in a variety of shades from silver-gray to black or dark brown. They reach five to six feet (1.7-1.9 m) in length and weigh up to 300 pounds (140 kg). Males are slightly larger than females. They are true or crawling seals, having no external ear flaps. True seals have small flippers and must move on land by flopping along on their bellies. In San Francisco Bay, many harbor seals are fully or partially reddish in color. This may be caused by an accumulation of trace elements such as iron or selenium in the ocean or a change in the hair follicle.
Information on Harbor Seals from the Marine Mammal Site. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE - HARBOR SEAL - Phoca vitulina description at the Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito (click here)
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL- Mirounga angustirostris
Elephant seals are well named because their large noses resemble an elephant's trunk. Males begin developing this enlarged nose, or proboscis, at sexual maturity (about three to five years), and it is fully developed by seven to nine years. Adult males may grow to over 13 feet (4 m) in length and weigh up to 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg). The females are much smaller at 10 feet (3 m) in length and 1,500 pounds (600 kg). The northern elephant seal is the second largest seal in the world, after the southern elephant seal.
The elephant seal is in the phocid, or true seal, family. It lacks external ear flaps and moves on land by flopping on its belly. The elephant seal has a broad, round face with very large eyes. Pups are born with a black coat which is molted, or shed, at about the time of weaning, revealing a sleek, silver-gray coat. Within a year, the coat will turn silvery brown.
Information on Northern Elephant Seals from the Marine Mammal Site. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE - NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL- Mirounga angustirostris description at the Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito (click here)

The Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center recognizes human interdependence with marine mammals and their importance as sentinels of the ocean environment, the health of which is essential for all life. It is our responsibility to use our awareness, compassion and intelligence to foster marine mammal survival and the conservation of their habitat. The Marine Mammal Center works toward this end.
The Marine Mammal Center, Marin Headlands
1065 Fort Cronkhite,Sausalito, CA 94965
Rescue Lines (to report a stranded marine mammal)
415.289.SEAL (7325) In Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties 831.633.6298. These Rescue Hotlines operate 24 hours a day.
Administration Main Line: 415.289.SEAL (7325)

Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito California

Visit The Marine Mammal Center

RELEVANT SEA LIONS, SEALS + MARINE MAMMAL INFORAMTION WEB SITES AND LINKS:

California Sea Lions on K Dock at PIER 39.Sea Lion Web Cam
Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus)
National Marine Mammal Laboratory. The National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) conducts RESEARCH on marine mammals worldwide, primarily coastal California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska http://nmml.afsc.noaa.gov/AlaskaEcosystems/nfshome/nfs.htm
National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) in Seattle, Washington, is responsible for population monitoring of the Pribilof Islands fur seals. Ongoing research includes pup production (population assessment), condition indices, adult male counts, and foraging studies. Much of the information gathered in our research is entered into our database. Fur Seal Investigations is an annual report produced by NMML staff. NMML has also provided scientific and logistical support to other organizations conducting fur seal research.
POINT REYES BIRD OBSERVATORY
PRBO Conservation Science is dedicated to conserving birds, other wildlife, and ecosystems through innovative scientific research and outreach. Founded in 1965 as Point Reyes Bird Observatory, our 120 staff and seasonal biologists study birds to protect and enhance biodiversity in marine, terrestrial and wetland systems in western North America.