Sea lions ... How are they different from other seals?

According to scientific classification, sea lions belong tofamily Eared seals. But in their appearance and way of life, they are significantly different from their closest relatives. That is from elephant seals and seals. Who are they - these predatory mammals? And what does an ocean dweller have in common with large cats that live in savannas? The answer to this question is quite simple: in mature males, the fur on the collar is longer than in the rest of the body, which makes a distant resemblance to the mane of an African predator.

Существует мнение, что морские львы обитают only in the southern hemisphere. They are there there are three species - by habitat: Australian, New Zealand and southern, found off the coast of Africa and Latin America. But north of the equator, such animals are also common. This is a California lion and sea lion. And if the first species is not much different from its southern counterparts (because it lives in the subtropics and it does not need to accumulate reserves of subcutaneous fat), the sea lions occupied a niche in life in rather high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. It lives in Russia on the Kuril Islands, in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, on Kamchatka, and Sakhalin. It can also be found on the Commander and Aleutian Islands, Alaska and the coast of North America as far as California.

Sea lions, unlike other seals -amazingly graceful creatures. Even on land, they are quite active and deftly move, and in the water they show the wonders of circus acrobatics. Their skin is brown, with rather short fur. This unattractive fur coat and the scanty reserves of fat saved the sea lions from the destruction of people. Hunting them is not as profitable as seals and other seals, although the endemic species of these animals was completely destroyed in Japan. The streamlined body, strong flippers, a flattened small head with small, slightly bulging beautiful eyes allow the lion to dive to a depth of 90 meters and chase shoals of fish with great speed.

These animals can spend all day inopen sea. However, sea lions do not like long migrations. It can be said that these are sedentary animals that are not more than 25 km away from their beach. They hunt for fish, crustaceans, mollusks. In turn, sea lions become prey for killer whales and white sharks. They live in colonies, but not as numerous as other eared seals. Their males are also more peaceful - all fights after the harem are conducted, as a rule, “until the first blood”. Females show aggressiveness only in the first days after birth. The young stock has golden fur and eats mother's milk for up to six months. Females become sexually mature in the third year of life, and males in the fifth. But only at the age of seven a young lion acquires a mane and can defend its harem. The sea lion (pictured here) is much larger than its graceful girlfriend: 300 kilograms of live weight against some 90 kg of women.

These animals are extremely developed mentalactivity. They are quick-witted, inventive, well-tamed, and very well trained. This, as well as innate dexterity and grace, make them regular actors in aquariums and dolphinariums. Therefore, most of us know from childhood how the sea lion looks like. And in the conditions of a free life, flocks of these seals escape from their natural enemies - sharks and killer whales - by keeping close to people, settling down in marinas, ports and even navigation buoys.