Tag Archives: Sea-Lion

Sea-Lions

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Here is a recent shot showing both species of sea-lion that can found on the BC coast, the Steller Sea-Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) and the California Sea-Lion (Zalophus californianus).  Both species are seen here together ‘cooling off’ from the early April sun by raising their flippers up out of the water in this way.  The ‘Cali’s’ will head off south soon to bread and by May will be gone from BC waters until the fall.  In the meantime, Stellers remain year round and can often be found in large congregations of hundreds and in some places thousands of animals.  More sea-lions can be seen in the Other Wildlife gallery.

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Steller Sea-Lion

Steller Sea-Lions range along most of the BC coast and are usually much lighter or blonder than their cousins the California Sea-Lion.  Males can weigh in the region of 1,000 kg, whilst females are considerably less than half that!  They love to haul out on rocks and ‘sunbathe’ adjacent to the shoreline and can be very curious  and even playful when you approach by boat.  Surprisingly, they are closely linked to grizzly bears and share a similar DNA.  It is always worth keeping an extra sharp eye out when watching Steller Sea-Lions as they are a favourite food source of transient orca who will often circle and harass the sea-lions if they come across them on the rocks and show them little mercy if they are in the water.  This female was spotted last weekend on some rocks off Long Beach, Tofino.

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California Sea-Lions

California Sea-Lions are winter visitors to parts of the BC Coast and have usually headed off south to breed by late spring.  Weighing in at up to a sprightly 400kg they are much smaller than their larger and more common cousins the Steller Sea-Lion, which can hit the 1000kg mark.  I was lucky to photograph these three playful pinnipeds in a coastal inlet in early May last year.

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