Stellar (Northern) Sea Lions at Play

Stellar sea lions, also known as Northern sea lions, are regulars on our marine mammal species list aboard Ursa Major.  Named by the Germain naturalist George Wilhelm Stellar, (a member of Vitus Bering's expedition party to Alaska in 1741), these opportunistic feeders consume a wide variety of fish, as well as squid and shrimp.  Seen here at their rookery in the Brothers' Islands in Stevens Passage, Stellar sea lions are preyed upon by killer whales (orca), sharks, and humans. 

From the Ursa Major, we have seen killer whales in the waters adjacent to this rookery, which causes a stampede of Stellar sea lions as they all race for higher ground!