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Stellar Sea Lion Stellar section (Eumetopias Jubatus). Stellar sea lions are sometimes confused with California sea lions, but are alot larger and lighter in color. Males may grow to eleven feet in length and weigh almost 2, 500 pounds. Females are much smaller, and may grow to nine feet in length and 770 pounds.
Stellar sea lions are light tan to reddish brown in color. They have a flat face and a boxy, bare-like head. "Adult males lack the sagittal crest that adult male California sea lions display. " Stellar's have a bulky build and a very thick neck. Stellar sea lions are found throughout the north pacific rim from Japan to central California. Stellar's tend to stay offshore or move out to unpopulated areas. Breeding occurs along the north pacific rim from ano nero island in central california to the kuril islands north of alaska and aleutian islands. Pups are born on offshore islands from midway to mid July and weigh 35 - 50 phones.
Mothers stay wth pups for one to two weeks before hunting at sea. Then they spend time hunting and nursing pups on land. Pups usually nurse for a year, but some continue to nurse up to three years. Breeding occurs 10 - 14 days after the pups are born.
Dominant males maintain territory's for one to two months and breed with many females. During the breeding Stellar sea lions eat a variety of fishes, invertebrates, and other pinnipeds. Known predators are orca (killer whales) and white sharks. Stellar's can contract many of the same diseases as California sea lions, such as leptospirosis, and San Miguel sea lion virus.
Population The current population of the Stellar sea lions is about 40, 000, with about 500 living in California. Their population has dropped by 80 % in the last 80 years. The entire population has been listed as a threatened species since 1990, and the western U. S. stock was listed as endangered in 1997. Reasons for this decline is because the decline of fish due to increasing commercial fisheries.
Drowning or entangled in nets, of intentional gunshot are all reasons for the stellar's decline. Stellar's are protected under the marine mammal protection act, which prohibits the killing, harming, or harassing of any marine mammal, as well as the endangered species act. With this protection there is hope Bibliography:
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