Eumetopias+jubatus

Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias Jubatus)



Kingdom-Animalia Phylum-Chordata Class-Mammalia Order-Carnivora Family-Otariidae
 * Classification**:

In 2008 The Steller Sea Lion was put on the endangered species list because the overall global decline is 54% over the last three generations. The cause of the decline has not been defined yet.
 * Endangered Species Act**:

The Steller Sea Lion can be found in the Northern Part of the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean has both diurnal tides, which run on a once-a-day cycle and mixed tides which have high tides with a slight low tide between them and are followed by a deep low tide. Steller Sea Lions are necktonic animals. A huge part of the Pacific regularly becomes warmer which increasing the sea level because warm water rises above the cold. The Range of the temp is 50 degrees to 90 degrees north. The Range of salinity is 33.5 PPT. The geographic range of the Steller Sea Lions in central to southern California, north along the west coast of North America to the Aluetian islands, west along the Aluetian chain to the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Sea of Japan, and possibly both Koreas.
 * Location and Habitat Features**:

Adult Steller Sea Lions do not usually travel or migrate because they usually forage and live near their natal colonies and return there to breed.
 * Migration**:

It is estimated that there are between 105,800-117,800 Steller Sea Lions alive right now.
 * Population estimate**:

The Steller Sea Lion is decreasing. The reason for the large decline of Steller Sea Lions is not clear but studies show it is now being linked to the direct and indirect effects of large-scale commercial fishing and long term ecosystem shifts. Global warming and pollution of the oceans is also being linked to the decrease of their population.
 * Survival Trends and Threats for Endangerment**:

Both males and females are robust and powerfully built. Steller Sea Lion pups are born with a thick blackish-brown fur that is molted by 6 months. The maximum length of adult males is around 3.3 m and their average weight is 1000 kg. T The maximum length of adult females is around 2.5 m and their average weight is 273 kg. Steller Sea Lion pups are born at an average of about 1 m and weight of 18-22 kg. Adult Steller sea lions are light brown to blonde with a dark brown darkening around the flippers and their belly. Males have a redidsh tone to their underside. Their flippers have adapted to being land and water animals and are used for most of their support. Steller Sea Lion also have a pointed nose and whiskers. Males have a flatter snout and more pronounced broader foreheads than females do.
 * Apperearence and Anatomy**:

Steller Sea Lions eat many different types of fish and invertebrates. Salmon, rockfish, squid and octopus are some of their favorites. Adult Steller Sea Lions are known for killing and consuming young, as well as Northern fur and Harbor seals. Their primary predators are Killer Whales.
 * Food Chain**:

Gestation lasts one year. This includes a delay of implantation which is about 3 months long. Steller Sea Lions are highly polygynous animals who breed in the late spring and summer. Steller Sea Lion pups are born from May through July. Females stay continuously ashore with their newborns for the first week up until ten days after giving birth. Following this period, females make foraging excursion which are primarily at night and can be up to periods of 18-25 hours, this is then followed by time ashore to nurse their pup. Females also mate about 2 weeks after giving birth. Females can start reproducing and about 5 years.
 * Reproduction**:

Females may live up to 30 years old while males only live up to about 20 years. Steller Sea Lions are sexually dimorphic, the adult males are 20-25% bigger than the females. They are known to hall out on sea ice. Steller sea lions have deep voices which produce powerful low-frequency rolling roars and can be heard for long distances. The pups diving ability increases with age and they routinely dive to depths of around 140 m for periods of two minutes. Mothers can recognize their young with their keen sense of smell. Steller Sea Lion Males are very territorial and aggressive, a common characteristic is bobbing of their head while being angered.
 * Facts**:

Steller Sea Lions are important to the subsistence culture of the people living near them. Alaskans use over 300 of them a year for food and other various products. Aside from food and clothing, their skin is known for the use of covering baidarkas and kayaks.
 * Economic Importance**:

In the United States the Steller Sea Lion is listed under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Critical habitat was designated which includes no entry zones near rookeries and management of fisheries activity in the vicinity of rookeries. Extensive funding is being used for Steller Sea Lion research to develop information on ecology, behavior, genetics, population dynamics, and movements to attempt to understand the reasons for the decline of this species and to promote the recovery of the species. My Solutions would be to continue to put money into this fund, try to decrease the amount of bycatch for the whole ocean, and keep the designated areas secluded and under watch.
 * Conservation efforts and Solutions**:


 * Scavenger Hunt Questions**:
 * 1) How old do females usually live to be?
 * 2) What class is the Steller Sea Lion a part of?
 * 3) How long is their gestation period for?

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