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Steller Sea Lion
Eumetopias jubatus
The Steller sea
lion is also known as the northern sea lion. It forms raucous
groups at haul outs on the shore. Males are larger than females.
The number of Steller sea lions declined between the late 1970s
and early 1990s in the western Gulf of Alaska, the Aleutian
Islands, and in Russia, and increased in southeast Alaska,
British Columbia, Washington and Oregon through the 1980s and
1990s (Merrick et al 1987, Loughlin 1998, Trites and Larkin
1996). The causes are unknown (DeMaster and Atkinson 2002,
Trites and Donnelly 2003).
In 2002, the eastern population was estimated to hold about
45,000 sea lions (Pitcher et al. 2003). Two stocks of Steller
sea lions are recognized from genetic differentiation of
mitochondrial DNA. An eastern population from California to
southeast Alaska and a western population from the Gulf of
Alaska, Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands to Russia (Bickham et al.
1996).
For more on the Steller Sea Lion visit the
Pacific WildLife Foundation |
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Keywords:
sealion, steller, stellers sea lion, marinemammals, marine
mammals, seals, islands, Canada, BC, British Columbia,
Mittlenatch, Mitlenatch Island, animals, Steller Sea Lion ,Eumetopias
jubatus ,Northern Sea Lion,wildlife, shore, rocks, resting,
basking |
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