What would happen if Steller sea lions went extinct?
Natives will start to lose a lot of their culture, if the Steller sea lion goes extinct. They will lose some of their food supply, and have to use their own money to buy store bought foods. Many will also feel that their nutrition will decrease.
What are sea lions good for?
Sea lion numbers are naturally regulated by the mammal-eating transient (Bigg’s) killer whales—which rely on a healthy sea lion population for food. Steller sea lions alone make up 13 per cent of the diet of transient killer whales. Book a tour with us and come out and see these amazing marine mammals for yourself!
Why are Steller sea lions endangered?
Most Steller sea lion populations declined markedly in the 1980s and 1990s, even though the animals are protected. Scientists are unsure what factor or combination of factors was responsible for the decline. While diving off the coast of Vancouver Island, a group of sea lions surrounded a diver, biting his mask and even swimming through his legs.
What do Steller sea lions eat?
These giant pinnipeds hunt fish, squid, octopus and, rarely, smaller seals. They are found off northern Pacific coasts from Japan to California. Steller sea lion breeding is one of nature’s great mass spectacles. When these giants thunder ashore, their favored beaches, called rookeries, disappear under their numbers.
What determines haul-out sites for the Steller sea lion?
Haul-out sites and haul-out abundance of the Steller sea lion can be determined by prey availability, predator abundance, tide levels, weather, etc. Steller sea lions are skilled and opportunistic marine predators, feeding on a wide range of fish and cephalopod species.
Why are sea lions important to Alaskans?
Historically, Steller sea lions were highly abundant throughout many parts of the coastal North Pacific Ocean. Indigenous peoples and settlers hunted them for their meat, hides, oil, and other products, and today sea lions are an important subsistence resource for Alaska Natives.