Sea lion
Sea lions are
pinnipeds characterized by external
ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short and thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Together with the
fur seals, they make up the family
Otariidae,
eared seals. The sea lions have six
extant and one extinct species (the
Japanese sea lion) in five
genera. Their range extends from the
subarctic to
tropical waters of the
global ocean in both the
Northern and
Southern Hemispheres, with the notable exception of the northern
Atlantic Ocean. They have an
average lifespan of 20–30 years. A male California sea lion weighs on average about and is about long, while the female sea lion weighs and is long. The largest sea lions are
Steller's sea lions, which can weigh and grow to a length of . Sea lions consume large quantities of food at a time and are known to eat about 5–8% of their body weight (about ) at a single feeding. Sea lions can move around in water and at their fastest they can reach a speed of about . Three species, the
Australian sea lion, the
Galápagos sea lion and the
New Zealand sea lion, are listed as
endangered.
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