Fish is a the main food of California and Steller sea lions and harbor seals. About one third of the harbour seal diet is herring. Large numbers of sea lions congregate around herring spawning grounds in the spring to feast on herring after they used up their winter fat reserves. Five or more sea lions hunt together to hunt herring efficiently.
A group of Steller sea lions gorging on herring during spawn time. The spawning aggregations of herring in the late winter/early spring are ideal for the sea lions to fatten up after eating up reserves over the winter.
Photo: Mark Wunsch
Date:
Friday, January 24, 2014