Evidently the largest member of the Otariid family and the fourth largest of all seal species, this eared seal could be located in the cold coastal waters of the North Pacific. Also known as the northern sea lion, the species is named after Georg Wilhelm Steller, a naturalist wo first discovered them in 1741.
The high risk of predation by killer whales and fishing and harvest by native Alaskans and Canadians for meat, oil, hides and other by - products make this marine life vulnerable to endanger. According to reports, its population has declined by more than 60% due to both natural and human threats since the 1960s. However, the eastern Steller sea lion was omitted from the U.S Endangered Species List in 2013 after their increasing population in recent years.
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Endangered Ocean Species
General FictionA fact file about marine species that are endangered.