Stats

Lifespan: 15-25 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Colony
Biome: Coastal ocean
Range: North America
Movement: Swimming
Breeding: Live Birth
Defense: Speed
Status: Common

About

California Sea Lions are highly intelligent, social pinnipeds of the Pacific coast, instantly recognizable by their resonant dog-like bark. Adult males develop a prominent bony crest on their forehead — the sagittal crest — that grows progressively larger as they age, making the sexes easy to tell apart at a glance.

Life cycle

1.
newborn
A live-born newborn nurses on its mother's milk and depends on her for warmth and protection.
2.
juvenile
A weaned juvenile begins eating solid food and learning from its parents or group.
3.
adult
Fully grown at adult size.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Otariidae
Genus: Zalophus
Species: Zalophus californianus