Sea lions are renowned for their sleek, streamlined bodies which make them playful and acrobatic. They are found on the coasts of Japan and Korea, western North America from southern Canada to mid-Mexico and the Galápagos Islands.
The front flippers of sea lions are very powerful and aid in swimming. Some species can swim at speeds up to 25 mph. Their flexible neck and backbone assists in taking sharp turns under water. To walk effectively on land, the rear flippers are rotated under their body. Sea lions have very sensitive whiskers called 'vibrissae' which sense vibrations under the water to detect their prey. This sense of touch is especially important in murky water. Primarily these aquatic mammals feed on a wide variety of seafood such as squid, clams, salmon, anchovy, dogfish, herring, lamprey and whiting.
Great white sharks as well as killer whales are natural predators of sea lions. Although sea lions are kept in zoos and aquariums, they are considered as wild animals.Over the years, a cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean has greatly diminished their food supplies posing serious threat to their numbers.
A tryst with nature #sealion
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