Sea lions are the mammals belonging to family of big-eared seals. Despite lovely appearance, it is the dangerous animals attacking people even is more often than sharks. The big sizes do not disturb lions quickly and to move dexterously in water and to overcome huge distances.
Sea lions received the name thanks to external similarity to an overland vice. At adult males the mane grows too, and these animals by means of the sounds similar to growl communicate.
At these pinniped two periods of life: reproductive and nomadny. In the first case the male for a long time leaves water and waits on the bank of the females ready to fertilization. Usually it occurs in the summer or in the spring. During the nomadny period the animal actively eats and gains weight.
This kind of sea lions seldom changes the habitat. They settle down on one land area all life, but can departure from the earth on dozens and even hundreds of kilometers.
Appearance
The mammal reaches the big sizes: in length the weight of a male — about 250 kg, females — 100-150 kg grows to 2-2.5 meters. The N among sea lions is individuals more largely. They treat a northern look, also call them eared seals. This sea lion grows to 3.5 meters and weighs up to 1 ton.
Habitat
Sea lions live on sandy and stony coast of ocean and sea coasts. Depending on an area of dwelling there are several species of these animals. The northern lion (eared seal) lives on the coast of the USA, Canada and Japan. The New Zealand look prefers the subtropical islands located near New Zealand. The southern sea lions live in the South American regions, and in northern waters of the Pacific Ocean there lives the Californian look. The Australian look lives in the southern part of Australia.
Sea lions live also in bondage: circuses, dolphinariums and oceanariums.
Food
Sea lion — a predator therefore he constantly hunts. The habitual food allowance consists of octopuses, fishes, crayfish. Big-eared Pinnipedia love a herring, a capelin, a halibut, a pollock and a flounder. They do not accumulate many fats therefore during the nomadny period come for hunting daily. And if food is not enough, the lion can attack a shark or a penguin.
Reproduction
The sea predator breeds during the haulout on the land in warm time. The coastal zone is mastered at first by a male, and then on it several dozen females appear. Rivalry between a lion is sometimes possible, but at Pinnipedia does not reach the serious conflicts.
Pregnancy of a sea lioness lasts 12 months. The female feeds a cub with milk of 100-120 days. And after the first links they leave parents and create the settlement.
How many do sea lions live?
Life expectancy of a sea lion — about 20 years. After the first molt the grown-up animals gather in separate packs and live so before puberty. The female becomes adult by 3 years, and a male only in 5 years. But not all individuals manage to live 20 years. Some die of collision with the ships, after the fight with a falcated duck or a shark.