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Page: The Steller Sea Lions
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The clowns of Alaskan waters are the Steller Sea Lions. Intense
curiosity coupled with a built-in playfulness, make Steller Sea
Lions a joy to watch and observe while travelling on the West
Coast.
Also known as Northern Sea Lions, Steller Sea Lions were named
after the German naturalist Wilhelm Steller who, after first
describing the Steller Sea Lion in 1741, described them as the
"lion of the sea" with a lion like roar and leonine eyes with
golden pupils.
During poor weather, Steller Sea Lions prefer to spend most of
their time in the water. It is in the water that they are in
their true element. Swimming, jumping, "porpoising" and
interacting with each other is how most visitors see Steller Sea
Lions when visiting. During calm, sunny weather huge groups of
Steller Sea Lions can be seen hauled up on rocky beaches to bask
in the sun. Steller Sea Lions have very powerful front flippers
and, being able to draw their hind flippers up under their body,
can easily and quickly climb up rocky outcroppings. Once hauled
out on rocks they begin an orchestra of noise that can be heard
for over 1/2 mile (800 meters). With the older males sounding
off in a "lion-like" roar, combined with the grunts, groans,
grumbles, growls and bellows it is very hard to miss a group of
Steller Sea Lions hauled out on the rocks. During this time,
many of the juveniles as well as some adults play and frolic in
the water, occasionally climbing up the rocky shores to play a
game of "King of the Hill", pushing and shoving each other to
claim the top spot.
This skill development is important for these Steller Sea Lions
as they grow and mature. Bull males fight vicious battles to
claim ownership to their harem of 10 - 30 females and there are
a few major rookeries located along the western North American
coast. Male Steller Sea Lions that are beaten in battle, along
with the young males and non-reproducing females, form loose
colonies. One of these colonies is located on South Marble
Island in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Year-round,
Steller Sea Lions can be found swimming and playing in the
frigid waters of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and very
often great numbers are seen hauled out on the rock strewn
beaches and rock ledges of South Marble Island.
Feeding primarily on fish, such as blackfish, greenling and
rockfish, Steller Sea Lions are very organized and social. While
feeding, they do not dive individually but rather as an entire
group, usually in water less than 600 ft (180 m). It is believed
that by diving as a group, one diving individual does not scare
off potential food and everyone is able to catch their fill.
Steller Sea Lions' teeth are ill suited to chewing and they
regularly swallow large chunks of fish and other prey. They have
been observed swallowing rocks up to 5" (12 cm) across which is
thought to assist in breaking down and pulverizing these large
chunks of meat in their stomachs.
Steller Sea Lions have a huge range extending from southern
California up the entire West coast to the Aleutian Islands
across to Siberia and ending in northern Japan. Being hunted to
excess, the Steller Sea Lion was listed and protected in some
areas of its range under the Endangered Species Act in 1990. The
eastern group of Steller Sea Lions has begun to make a recovery
as the number of Sea Lions older than pups has been continually
increasing.
Other pages with extensive details
on our website:
Gray Wolf,
Tufted Puffin,
Steller Sea Lions,
Bald Eagle,
Mountain Goats,
Orca or Killer
Whales,
The Red Squirrel,
Humpback Whale
and
Grizzly Bear or Alaskan Brown bear
Video:
View videos of Steller Sea
Lions in Alaska |
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