California Sea Lions
The California Sea Lion breed typically along the Northern California coast, with a male measuring up to 2.4 m long and weighing up to 390 kg whilst a female reaches up to 2.0 m, weighing around 100 kg. There are an estimated 180,000 California Sea Lions in the wild.
IUCN Listing: Least Concern
Not at risk of becoming extinct in the wild
Fact File
Native Range
Pacific Coast of America
Natural Habitat
Oceans, beaches, rocky shorelines & harbours
Diet
Fish, eels, squids and crustaceans
Life Expectancy
In the wild: Up to 20 years
In zoos: 25 – 30 years
Breeding
Gestation period:
11 months. 1 pup (occasionally twins)
Group Name
Colony on land, Raft in water
Active Hours
During the day
Threats
Over fishing, pollution
Fun Fact
California Sea Lions can slow their heart rate, allowing them to remain underwater for up to 10 minutes before surfacing to breathe. This allows them to spend a lot of time underwater in pursuit of fish, eels and other prey!