Species Spotlight- Steller Sea Lion

The Steller Sea Lion is the largest sea lion in the world. Although you can find them all along Alaska’s coastline,  Seward is home to a fairly large population of them where they reside year round. Males can reach sizes of 11 feet long and weigh 2,500lbs, while females are much smaller generally in the 7-9 foot range and up to 800lbs. Males generally live up to 20 years whereas females can live up to 30. Their diet consists of fish like pollock, salmon, herring, cod, and also squid and octopus. They generally hunt in groups which helps them chase schools of fish, maximizing their success rate of catching some. They are also able to use their whiskers to detect prey underwater. There are several sea lion rookeries in Resurrection Bay and the Gulf of Alaska, and viewing them is one of the highlights of all the tours we offer!