Note: You need to enable scripting and Javascript in your browser settings to best view and navigate our website. Otherwise use our keyboard navigation and search page. Our print link for screen media is scripted. Your computer's normal print command will print this page. Please contact us if you have difficulty in accessing our web pages.
  link to AFSC home page
Mobile users can use the Site Map to access the principal pages


link to NMFS home page link to AFSC home page link to NOAA home page
Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)

Steller sea lions range along the North Pacific Rim from northern Japan to California. Pupping and breeding occur late May to early July throughout their range. Males set up territories on rookeries in late May, females arrive shortly thereafter and give birth to a single pup. They alternate between nursing their pup and feeding trips; most pups are weaned by the end of their first year. The species is not known to migrate, but individuals disperse widely outside of the breeding season, particularly adult males and juveniles. Adult males are up to 3.25 m long and weigh up to 1120 kg; females are considerably smaller at up to 2.9 m and 350 kg. Pups weigh about 23 kg at birth. Two separate stocks of Steller sea lions are recognized within U. S. waters: an eastern and western stock. As a result of a precipitous decline in numbers beginning in the 1970s, the western stock is presently listed as Endangered under the ESA.

NMML Research Recent NMML Steller Sea Lion Publications
  • ATKINSON, S., D. CALKINS, V. BURKANOV, M. CASTELLINI, D. HENNEN, and S. INGLIS. 2008. Impact of changing diet regimes on Steller sea lion body condition. Mar. Mammal Sci. 24(2):276-289. 
     
  • FRITZ, L., M. LYNN, E. KUNISCH, and K. SWEENEY. 2008. Aerial, ship, and land-based surveys of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska, June and July 2005-2007. U. S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo., NMFS-AFSC-183, 70 p. (.pdf, 4.73 MB).  Online.
     
  • HOLMES, E. E., L. W. FRITZ, A. E. YORK, and K. SWEENEY. 2007. Age-structured modeling reveals long-term declines in the natality of western Steller sea lions. Ecol. Appl. 17(8):2214-2232. 
     
  • HUEBINGER, R. M., E. E. LOUIS, Jr., T. GELATT, L. D. REA, and J. W. BICKHAM. 2007. Characterization of eight microsatellite loci in Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). Mol. Ecol. Notes 7:1097-1099. 
     
  • Search the AFSC database for additional Steller Sea Lion publications
Recent NMML Steller Sea Lion Posters
  • Estimating Capture and Handling Mortality Risk to Endangered Juvenile Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus)
    990KB  Online.
     
  • Effects of Research Disturbance on Behavior and Attendance of Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus) at a Rookery in Alaska
    4.5MB  Online.
     
  • Relative Prey Biomass Abundance, Distribution and Availability in the Vicinity of Endangered Steller Sea Lion Rookeries at Ugamak Island, AK, 1995-99
    5.39MB  Online.
     
  • Search the AFSC database for additional Steller Sea Lion posters
Steller Sea Lion Stock Assessment Reports
NMML Education Web (these pages are targeted toward students!) Management Steller Sea Lion Images Other links

Webmaster | Privacy | Disclaimer | Accessibility