The Eating Habits of Sea Lions

Sea Lions, like most mammals, are carnivorous. Their diet consists of a wide variety of fish, such as salmon, herring; flatfish etc. (see fig. 1). Sea Lions have also been known to eat crustaceans, cephalopods, birds and other pinnipeds.

        Sea Lions feed in groups normally around 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Having large groups of Sea Lions, they are able to control the movement of the schools of fish they intend to eat. Most small fish are swallowed whole as larger prey are torn apart and eaten on the surface. Sea Lions are known to hunt either close to shore or out in the open sea as far as 100 NM. The food intake for a Sea Lion to sustain life at full size is approximated at 5-6% of their body weight.

       The Sea Lions though, as all living organisms, fall to prey from larger animals in the ocean. The main predator craving the taste of the Sea Lion is, yes…Shamu. Sea Lions are a dietary delight for Orca Whales as they are both located in the same regions of the world. Also, seals are hunted by some sharks and are also poached by man.

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