They have no claws on their fore flippers. Able to rotate their hind flippers for locomotion on land, sea lions are quite are nimble and can gallop onshore. LOCOMOTION Graceful and acrobatic in the water, sea lions propel themselves through the water with large, wing-like fore flippers, usimg their hind flippers and tail for steering. Sea lions have sleek torpedo-like bodies and are powerful swimmers. Sea lions molt (shed their hair) every year after breeding season. Adult females are a lighter golden color. As adult males age, their heads become light tan. Males are a chocolate brown, females are tan to golden brown.The coat darkens to almost black when wet. Unlike harbor seals and other true seals, California sea lions have external ear flaps and long, dog-like muzzles. Females do not exhibit this, having lower and smaller foreheads.
Lion growl hump series#
Grays also may be identified by a series of bumps or "knuckles" visible along the last 3rd of the body when diving there is no dorsal fin.Males can reach a size up to 8 feet long and 700-1,000 lbs.įemales are smaller, reaching 6.5 ft long and up to 240 lbs.Īdult males grow a large bump of bone on the top of their heads, known as a sagittal crest, as they reach sexual maturity. The blotches are caused by barnacles adhering to the whale's body. Grays may be up to 45 feet (14 meters) long and are identified by light blotches on darker skin. When moving north females with young calves are highly visible, and may feed within or just beyond surf breakers. Their round trip migration is one of the longest of any animal in the world, totaling 12,500 miles (20,000 kilometers). Gray whales migrate along the west coast twice a year, with peak numbers in December when they are moving south to the breeding grounds in Mexico, and May when they are heading north to feeding grounds in the arctic. In Redwood National and State Parks, the most frequently seen large cetacean is the gray whale. Territorial bulls and females with very young pups, born with jet black coats and observed nursing, have been seen on rocks north of the Klamath River. It is possible that a small breeding colony of Steller sea lions resides in Redwood National and State Parks. Lastly, the Steller's vocalizations more resemble a growl or bellow, versus the typical California sea lion bark ("arr arr arr") well known from theme parks as well as in the wild. The lack of a sagittal crest gives the Steller's head a wider, dog like appearance. The head shape of Steller sea lions is also different, lacking the sagittal crest or ridge of bone that results in a noticeable bump on the forehead of California sea lions. When freshly out of the water their fur can appear blond.
Steller sea lions tend to be lighter in color than California sea lions which are uniformly dark brown. Females and subadult males are not always easily differentiated from the more common California sea lion although with practice the differences between the two species become apparent. Adult males, or bulls, are massive, weighing in at 1,200 lbs (0.5 metric tons) or greater. Steller sea lions are the largest of the eared seals. They occur in small groups on near shore rocks visible from the coast in Redwood National and State Parks. Steller sea lions, also known as northern sea lions, are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
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