![]() |
||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Sea Lions
There are actually seven species of Sea
Lions in the world, but people tend to lump them all into one
category. They all belong to a group of animals known as
pinnipeds. Sea Lions are found in bodies of water all over the world,
but not in the Atlantic Ocean. Many researchers find this to be
a very interesting fact. Yet they can’t pinpoint reasons why
this is the case. The temperatures are compatible with where
some Sea Lions live. There is also plenty of the food that they
consume found there.
Sea Lions really only have two predators that are other animals – Killer Whales and Sharks. The threat that they pose depend on the areas where the Sea Lions live. When they have to go further out into the waters to find food then they are more likely to encounter such predators. Man has proven to be the biggest threat to the Sea Lion survival though for a very long time. We really only know the basics about Sea Lions including their anatomy and their mating habits. We do know that they are very social animals and that they have a variety of methods of communicating. Yet we really don’t know much about what those different types of sounds are used for.
For example the males are more likely to be loners. They will form harems when it is time to mate that last for several months. When the larger colonies form again those females with offspring are more likely to stay together. Once the pups are about a year old they tend to form small sub groups as well. Sea Lions are considered to be highly intelligent animals. They have been used to teach tricks to for entertainment. They have also been trained to help the United States Navy with their in water needs. For the most part they are considered to be very timid but there have been some reports of aggressive attacks on humans. The males are extremely aggressive when it comes to earning the right to mate with females. The future is unsure for many species of Sea Lions. Years of them being destroyed by humans has really taken a toll on them. Environmental concerns continue to cause problems for them in their natural habitats as well. The fact that humans are also taking control over the waters where they once lived in peace is a huge concern. Even with conservation efforts in place there is still a great deal of work to be done if these animals are going to survive.
|
||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||