Learn All About Otariidae, the Family of Eared Seals and Sea Lions (original) (raw)

The name Otariidae may not be as familiar as what it represents: the family of "eared" seals and sea lions. These are marine mammals with visible ear flaps, and a few other characteristics that are detailed below.

The Family Otariidae contains 13 species still living (it also contains the Japanese sea lion, a species that is now extinct). All of the species in this family are fur seals or sea lions.

These animals can live in the ocean, and feed in the ocean, but they give birth and nurse their young on land. Many prefer living on islands, rather than the mainland. This gives them better protection from predators and easier access to prey.

Characteristics of Eared Seals and Sea Lions

All of these animals:

Classification

Otariidae Species List

As mentioned above, a fourteenth species, the Japanese sea lion (Zalophus japonicus), is extinct.

Feeding

Otariids are carnivores and have a diet which varies depending on the species. Common prey items include fish, crustaceans (e.g., krill, lobster), cephalopods and even birds (e.g., penguins).

Reproduction

Otarrids have distinct breeding grounds and often gather in large groups during the breeding season. Males arrive on the breeding grounds first and establish as large a territory as possible, along with a harem of up to 40 or 50 females. The males defend their territory using vocalizations, visual displays, and by fighting with other males.

Females are capable of delayed implantation. Their uterus is Y-shaped, and one side of the Y can hold a growing fetus, while the other can hold a new embryo. In delayed implantation, mating and fertilization occur and the fertilized egg develops into an embryo, but it stops development until conditions are favorable for growth. Using this system, females may become pregnant with another pup just after they give birth.

Females give birth on land. The mother may nurse her pup for 4-30 months, depending upon the species and availability of prey. They are weaned when they weigh about 40 percent of their mother's weight. Mothers may leave the pups on land for extended periods to go on foraging trips in the ocean, sometimes spending as much as three-quarters of their time at sea with the pups left onshore.

Conservation

Many otariid populations were threatened by harvesting. This started as early as the 1500's when animals were hunted for their fur, skin, blubber, organs or even their whiskers. (Steller sea lion whiskers were used for cleaning opium pipes.) Seals and sea lions have also been hunted because of their perceived threat to fish populations or aquaculture facilities. Many populations were nearly wiped out by the 1800s. In the U.S., all otariid species are now protected by the ​Marine Mammal Protection Act. Many have been on the rebound, although Steller sea lion populations in some areas continue to decline.

Current threats include entanglement in fishing gear and other debris, overfishing, illegal shooting, toxins in the marine environment, and climate change, which may affect prey availability, available habitat, and pup survival.

Sources and Further Reading