Sea lions often vocalize underwater and are able to easily locate sound sources. Its ears are also valvular and close underwater. Though the sea lion's ear flaps are small, it can hear quite well both above and below the surface. At the surface, where there is brightness and glare, the sea lion's pupil can contract to a tiny pinhole, protecting its sensitive retinas. Their eyesight is well developed, because they spend a lot of time underwater with reduced light levels. Bulls produce strong smells when in rut, presumably important in breeding behavior. Whiskers are used for greeting one another and, in conjunction with smell, allow bulls to determine the sexual receptivity of cows. Visual signals are an important part of sea lion nonvocal communication. The mother then confirms her pup by smell, leads it to a sheltered spot and nurses it. Once back from her feeding trip, the mother calls her offspring using a pup attraction call and the pup answers with its own unique bleat. When a cow enters the water to hunt, her pup joins with other pups in the pod. While the calf is still nursing, the cow alternates between feeding her pup and hunting for food. This process imprints on their memories exactly what one another smells and sounds like. Following birth, the cow and pup spend time nuzzling and vocalizing to each other. These behaviors are vital to maintaining a territory and include barking, head shaking, oblique stares and lunges at the opponent's flippers.įemales use specific calls to identify their pups. Males typically patrol their aquatic and terrestrial territories and bark or roar to warn intruders away - sometimes even barking underwater. During these patrols, they display to other males in the vicinity. They have numerous vocalizations used not only on land but underwater as well. From alarm barks and growls to bleats and roars, California sea lions are one of the noisiest pinniped species. Overheating can often be a problem for California sea lions, and they use behavioral means to cool off, such as resting with a flipper in the water, flipping sand over their back or flipper fanning in the water.Īs social animals, California sea lions spend much time communicating with each other. The California sea lion's small body surface in proportion to its volume also reduces the amount of heat lost to its surroundings. Meanwhile, a layer of fur traps water next to the skin nad warms it to body temperature. The flexibility of their bodies allows them to make tight, twisting turns as they play or pursue fish, and they can quickly reach speeds of 25-30 mph (40-48 kph) while hunting, avoiding predators or simply playing.Ī layer of blubber, or fat, insulates the sea lion's body, and the circulatory system can shunt the blood supply to the extremities and outer surface of the body. Although California sea lions appear clumsy when moving on land, their movement through the water appears almost effortless. On land, these sea lions move by rotating their rear flippers under their bodies and supporting their body weight on all four flippers. Their back flippers are used as rudders and have three claws for grooming. Their front flippers are especially long and are used for propelling them through the water. They have strong, bulky shoulders and their streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies taper to the tail. Their limbs are short with elongated digits encased in cartilage and connective tissue to form flippers. They also have a more slender neck than some species and a dog-like head.Ĭalifornia sea lions have many adaptations for their aquatic lifestyle. The fur on this crest usually becomes increasingly lighter as a sea lion ages.Ĭalifornia sea lions lack the "mane" that gives sea lions their name. Both sexes have a sleek, single hair coat, which also distinguishes them from true seals.Īt about 5 years old, males develop a noticeable crest that runs lengthwise along the top of their skull creating a high, domed forehead. Males are generally a dark chestnut brown, although some males have lighter coloring on their head, muzzle, sides, hind and belly. They also use their fore flippers to propel themselves through the water, whereas true seals rely primarily on their back flippers to swim. Their visible ear flaps distinguish them from true seals. Sea lions, along with fur seals, are considered eared seals.
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