Mammalia | 
Carnivora | 
Otariidae
			
			
			
				Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range				
				
					Ecology				
				
			
			
				Bathydemersal.  Subtropical; 90°N -   0°S, 180°W -   180°E			
			
			
				
			
			
			
				Pacific Ocean, Northeast Atlantic and the Arctic.  Tropical to temperate.
			
			
			
			
			
				Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
			
			
				Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 330 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1394); 250 cm TL (female); common length : 310 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 80659); common length :240 cm TL (female); max. published weight: 1.1 t (Ref. 80659); max. published weight: 1.1 t			
			
			
							
				
				
					
						Sexually dimorphic. Coloration when dry is pale yellow to light tan with dark brown undersides and near their flippers. When wet, color is grayish white. Pelage is short coarse hairs. Mature males develop a prominent mane on the necks and chests, with heads that are more robust with a flatter snout than females.					
				
				
						
			
			
			
			
				
					Inhabits coastal and immediate offshore waters (Ref. 1522).  Preyed upon by great white sharks (Ref. 32140). Coastal and immediate offshore waters (Ref. 1522). Non-migratory but may disperse considerably from breeding sites. Appears to feed along the continental shelf and break (Ref. 80660).  Found from the coast to the outer continental shelf; they frequent deep oceanic waters in some parts of the range.  Feeds on many varieties of fish and squid, prefers bottom species; feeding occurs at night (Ref. 1394).				
			
			
			
			
			
				Life cycle and mating behavior				
					Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae				
			
			
				
					Only sexually mature Steller sea lions return to rookeries, except for few dependent young with their mothers.  Gestation results only one pup which is nursed for under a year up to 3 years.  Mothers stay on shore with their newborn for about a week before leaving for regular feeding trips.  Copulation usually occur prior to first feeding trip. Longevity lasts about 14 years for males and 22 years for females, with a generation time of 10 years.				
			
			
			
			
			
				Rice, D.W. 1998 Marine Mammals of the World Systematics and Distribution. Special Publication number 4: The Society for Marine Mammalogy. 231p. (Ref. 1522)
			
			
			
			
			
			
			
					
						IUCN Red List Status    
						 (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
					
					
					
				
			
			
			
			
				CITES status   (Ref. 108899)
			
			
				
					Not Evaluated				
			
			
			
			
			
			
				
					Not Evaluated				
			
			
			
			
			
				Threat to humans  
			
			
				
									
			
			
			
			
			
			
			
			
				Human uses  
			
			
				Fisheries: commercial			
			
			
				FAO - Fisheries: landings, species profile | FishSource | Sea Around Us			
			
			
			
			
			
Tools
			
			
			
			
				
					More information				
				
					 Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae   PhysiologyOxygen consumption
  Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
  
			 
			
			
			
				Internet sources
			
			
			
			
			
				Estimates based on models
			
			
			
									
						Preferred temperature  					
				 (Ref. 
115969): 1.6 - 13.5, mean 5.8 (based on 1576 cells).			
 
			
			
			
							
					Resilience  				
				
				
					Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.17-0.54).				
			
			
						
							
				
					
						Fishing Vulnerability  					
					
					
						High to very high vulnerability (72 of 100).					
				
						
						
			
									
						Price category  					
					
					Unknown.