Steller sea lions (Image via David B. Ledig/USFWS)
Steller sea lions keep their family close and their breeding spots even closer, as a new study suggests that females choose to breed near the rookery where they themselves were born. Researchers gathered tracker data from 269 female sea lions over the course of 14 years to see how often the sea lions switched rookeries, or breeding colonies. Their findings showed that less than 3% of sea lions bred at a different rookery from where they were born. This information emphasizes the importance of habitat preservation for Steller sea lion. This is crucial for efforts to conserve the species, which is currently assigned the “Special Concern” status in Canada.
Authors:
Kelly K. Hastings, Lauri A. Jemison, Grey W. Pendleton, Kimberly L. Raum-Suryan, Kenneth W. Pitcher
Corresponding author:
Kelly Hastings, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, US, Email: kelly.hastings@alaska.gov
Original paper published in PLOS One on June 7, 2017.
