If you find an injured or sick seal or sea lion, you can call the Marine Mammal Center at 415-289-SEAL (7325), but please do not approach. These eared seals top out at speeds of some 25 miles an hour. California's beaches and islands are also home to Pacific harbor seals, elephant seals, and rarer fur seals. The peak of mating activity is in late June and early July. But in the wild, the California sea lion is a sleek animal, faster than any other sea lion or seal. The Mexico population has remained stable. Follow the dolphin! Hold your breath. Studies have suggested that the California sea lion population in the United States has possibly increased at an average annual rate of 10.2% since 1983. Pups are born on the San Miguel and San Nicolas Islands in the Channel Island chain. The California sea lion is a marine mammal found along the west coast of North America.A familiar animal from circuses and zoos, the species is known for its dog-like barking call, expert swimming ability and high intelligence. They can remain underwater for nearly 10 minutes before surfacing to breathe. More recently, some have been breeding on … California sea lions are found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. We received the pups to ensure their survival and they are thriving as adults. California sea lion facts, pictures & information. California sea lion bulls establish breeding territories on the beach from May to August. One of the largest breeding rookeries is found on the Channel Islands. The best viewing areas are located 90 miles south of Monterey, 5 miles north of Hearst Castle State Historical Monument in San Simeon. Sea Lion Breeding and Reproduction. Massive aquatic mammals, male California sea lions can grow to lengths in excess of 7 feet, and their weights can approach 900 pounds. The California sea lion is a very sleek animal, faster than any other seal or sea lion. In California, a massive stranding event in 2015 resulted in thousands of California sea lions stranding. They breed mainly on offshore islands, ranging from southern California's Channel Islands south to Mexico, although a few pups have been born on Año Nuevo and the Farallon Islands in central California. They normally swim around 8-10 km per hour. California sea lions are extremely social and often gather together in large groups. Seal and Sea Lion Viewing Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary provide habitat for significant breeding populations of four species of pinnipeds (California sea lions, northern fur seals, harbor seals and northern elephant seals). The two at the North Carolina Zoo stranded as pups, were rehabilitated and released, but soon stranded again. The California sea lion population, which occurs from the offshore islands of Mexico north to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, has increased dramatically in this century. California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) belongs to the family of eared seals. Male Sea Lions are mature about at about 6 years of age. In size and appearance, males are very different from the female California sea lions. One of five species of sea lion the zalophus californianus is coastal eared seal native to western North America. In the late 1920s, 1,000-1,500 California sea lions were counted on land in California (Bonnot 1928, Cass 1985). Meet the California Sea Lion: Introduction. However, in most instances they won’t end up mating until they are at least 10 years old. The Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery spreads out over 6 miles of beach from Point Piedras Blancas on the central coast of California. Natural Habitat. Galápagos sea lions may mate from May to January. California sea lions are found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. The California sea lion’s breeding range extends from the Channel Islands off southern California along the coast of Mexico to Tres Marias Islands. They can swim at top speeds of 40 km per hour. With a population of 238,000, there are enough California sea lions to populate a slippery city the size of Scottsdale, Arizona.