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| We are most accustomed to seeing California Sea Lions at zoos and marines, fetching objects underwater and flapping their fins for fish. But these seal lions, as all sea lions, originate in the wild. | ||
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One place where people are able to view wild California Sea Lions is at Fisherman's Warf in San Francisco. They began appearing at the Warf in the late 1980's, taking up residence on the docks. When hundreds began sunning themselves on the docks made for boats, the City of San Francisco decided to set aside one area of the docks just for these new visitors. |  |
| This arrangement turned out to be good not only for the sea lions, but also for Fisherman's Warf, as they draw many people daily to watch their antics. When I visited San Francisco in May of 2000, I stood and watched these guys for most of the afternoon. It's fascinating to watch their behavior. |  |
Most of the sea lions at the docks are males. The dominant animals announce their territories by posturing--sitting tall and throwing their heads back, as seen in these photos. If that doesn't work, and another sea lion appears to challenge the resident, they engage in a "pushing contest," and whoever is able to push the other off the dock is the winner. |
Below are links to websites with more information on the California Sea Lion: |
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| California Sea Lion - Web page from the Marine Mammal Center website with information about the California Sea Lion. Includes links to pages about other types of seals. | Sea Lions - Web page with information and photos on the Stellar and California sea lions. | |
| California Sea Lions - Web page with a little information about the California Sea Lion and a photo. | Underwater Sea Lions - Web page with underwater photographs of California Sea Lions. | |
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