Sea Lions

by Nathaniel Buechler

SEA
LIONS

What?

Sea lions are categorized into the suborder Pinnipedia in the family Otariidae.
The seal and the walrus share this order also. Pinnipeds range in size from
140 lbs (the Baikal seals) to 8,000 lbs (the Elephant seal)! Sea lions are
also sometimes referred to as eared seals or fin seals. This is because
sea lions have much more fur then seals and have earflaps, where the seal
has only ear holes without flaps. The seal has shorter fins and hind flippers
too. Seals cannot use their front flippers to help them walk because of
the flipper size. The sea lion, however, can walk on land easily because
of its large fins.

Food!

Pinnipeds are carnivores. Most of the sea lion’s diet is made up of fish.
Hunting by night, the sea lion usually grabs it’s prey and swallows it whole!
They do not use their nose much, and use their senses of sight and hearing
to find food. Like cats, they also use their vibrissae, or whiskers to feel
where shellfish may be lying.

Predators!

The sea lion’s main predators are sharks, orca whales and humans. Most attacks
on people by sharks have been an incident when the shark has mistaken a
person for a seal or sea lion. (This happens most often when the person
is on a surfboard, because the outline makes them look like a pinniped.)

Senses!

Smell: Sea lions are not able to smell underwater, but their sense of smell
on dry land is amazing. Female sea lions use smell to tell which pups are
theirs, and males use smell for mating purposes.

Sight: Sea lions may not be able to see in color. We are not sure about
that. Perhaps they can see shades of blue and green, the way that dogs see
black, white and gray, but nobody knows for sure. In their eyes, they have
a tapetum lucidum, which is what cats have that make their eyes glow at
night. Having this increases the sea lion’s ability to see well in the dark.
When they come out of the water, a thin sheet covers their eyes to protect
them from sand and debris.

Taste!

Sea lions do not have a very good sense of taste. They are close to being
able to taste nothing, so they could be eating anything at all, just so
long as it smells good.

Sleep!

On land, sea lions sleep like we do at West Sound Academy in the couch corner,
often lying on top of their friends. If they are in shallow enough water,
they will sleep under the surface and occasionally come up for air. When
they are out in deep water, they sleep on the surface with their nose pointing
towards the sky.

Air!

Sea lions have the ability to stay underwater for an average of eight to
twenty minutes! This is because they have a better tolerance for carbon
dioxide than we do. Also, oxygen collects in their heart instead of to less
vital organs like the air we breathe does. Believe it or not, sea lion’s
nostrils are closed when they are relaxed, and the sea lion has to use special
muscles to open them and breathe.

Where?

Sea lions live mostly in shallow, very cold water, but are spread throughout
the world. Only a few ever enter fresh water.

 

More information:

• www.geobop.com/Mammals/Carnivora/Pinnipedia/2.htm
• www.dolphins.org/learn/lmm-slfs.htm
• www.seaworld.org/Pinnipeds/whatarethey.
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