Welcome to the North Pacific Ocean!
Sea Lion
The California Sea Lions are known for their Intelligence, Playfulness, and Noisy Barking. Their Color Ranges from Chocolate Brown in Males to a Lighter, Golden Brown in Females. Males can reach up to 850 Pounds (390 kg) and Seven Feet (2.1 m) in Length. Females Grow up to 220 Pounds (110 kg) and up to Six Feet (1.8 m) in Length. They have a "Dog-Like" Face, and at around Five Years of Age, Males develop a Bony Bump on Top of their Skull called a Sagittal Crest. The Top of a Male's Head often gets Lighter in Color with Age. These Members of the Otariid or walking Seal Family have External Ear Flaps and Large Flippers that they use to "Walk" on Land. The Trained "Seals" in Zoos and Aquariums are usually California Sea Lions.
California Sea Lions are found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the Southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. They Breed mainly on offshore Islands, ranging from Southern California's Channel Islands South to Mexico, although a few Pups have been Born on Año Nuevo and the Farallon Islands in Central California. There is a distinct Population of California Sea Lions at the Galapagos Islands. A third Population in the Sea of Japan became Extinct, probably during World War II.
Most Pups are Born in June or July and Weigh 13-20 Pounds (6 to 9 kg). They Nurse for at least Five-Six Months and sometimes over a Year. Mothers recognize Pups on Crowded Rookeries through Smell and Vocalizations. Pups also learn to recognize the Smell and Vocalizations of their Mothers. Breeding takes place a few Weeks after Birth. Males patrol Territories and Bark almost Continuously during the Breeding Season.
California Sea Lions are very Social Animals, and groups often Rest closely Packed Together at favored Haul-Out Sites on Land or Float together on the Ocean's Surface in "Rafts." They are sometimes seen "Porpoising," or Jumping out of the Water, presumably to Speed up their Swimming. Sea Lions have also been seen "Surfing" Breaking Waves. California Sea Lions are Opportunistic Eaters, Feeding on Squid, Octopus, Herring, Rockfish, Mackerel, and Small Sharks. In turn, Sea Lions are Preyed upon by Orcas (Killer Whales) and Great White Sharks.
Their Population is Growing Steadily, and California Sea Lions can be seen in many Coastal spots such as the Monterey Coast Guard, Jetty and PIER 39 in San Francisco. The Current Population is Approximately 238,000.
The California Sea Lions are known for their Intelligence, Playfulness, and Noisy Barking. Their Color Ranges from Chocolate Brown in Males to a Lighter, Golden Brown in Females. Males can reach up to 850 Pounds (390 kg) and Seven Feet (2.1 m) in Length. Females Grow up to 220 Pounds (110 kg) and up to Six Feet (1.8 m) in Length. They have a "Dog-Like" Face, and at around Five Years of Age, Males develop a Bony Bump on Top of their Skull called a Sagittal Crest. The Top of a Male's Head often gets Lighter in Color with Age. These Members of the Otariid or walking Seal Family have External Ear Flaps and Large Flippers that they use to "Walk" on Land. The Trained "Seals" in Zoos and Aquariums are usually California Sea Lions.
California Sea Lions are found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the Southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. They Breed mainly on offshore Islands, ranging from Southern California's Channel Islands South to Mexico, although a few Pups have been Born on Año Nuevo and the Farallon Islands in Central California. There is a distinct Population of California Sea Lions at the Galapagos Islands. A third Population in the Sea of Japan became Extinct, probably during World War II.
Most Pups are Born in June or July and Weigh 13-20 Pounds (6 to 9 kg). They Nurse for at least Five-Six Months and sometimes over a Year. Mothers recognize Pups on Crowded Rookeries through Smell and Vocalizations. Pups also learn to recognize the Smell and Vocalizations of their Mothers. Breeding takes place a few Weeks after Birth. Males patrol Territories and Bark almost Continuously during the Breeding Season.
California Sea Lions are very Social Animals, and groups often Rest closely Packed Together at favored Haul-Out Sites on Land or Float together on the Ocean's Surface in "Rafts." They are sometimes seen "Porpoising," or Jumping out of the Water, presumably to Speed up their Swimming. Sea Lions have also been seen "Surfing" Breaking Waves. California Sea Lions are Opportunistic Eaters, Feeding on Squid, Octopus, Herring, Rockfish, Mackerel, and Small Sharks. In turn, Sea Lions are Preyed upon by Orcas (Killer Whales) and Great White Sharks.
Their Population is Growing Steadily, and California Sea Lions can be seen in many Coastal spots such as the Monterey Coast Guard, Jetty and PIER 39 in San Francisco. The Current Population is Approximately 238,000.
Walrus
Walruses live in the Arctic, North Atlantic, and North Pacific Oceans. These Oceans are Cold since they are near the North Pole. Walruses live in these Cold Waters. They Swim close to the Coasts where they like to stay. In the Spring and Winter, they like to Float on the Ice close to Shore.
The Male Walruses are called Bulls and Female Walruses are Called are Cows. The Bull weighs 2 Tons and Cows weigh 1 ton. The Bulls are 10-12 ft. long, and Cows are 8-9 ft. long. Some Walruses are a Pink to a Light Brown Color.
Walruses have a Big Appetite, too. Their Favorite Food is Clams, but they also eat Snails, Crabs, Shrimp, Mud Worms, Urchins and Mussels, a type of Fish. They don’t Eat every Day, but when they do, they Eat a lot. Walruses have been found with 100 Pounds of Food in their Stomachs. What Weighs more, a Walrus or a Polar Bear? A Walruses does! A Bull Walrus weighs about 2 Tons, while a Polar Bear weighs about 900 Pounds. Still, Polar Bears are Dangerous and eat Walruses.
In Mating Season, Males make Bell Type Noises under the Water. This brings the Females to Him and makes some of the other Males leave. Sometimes the Males use their Tusks to fight over the Cows. Walruses have One Baby every other Year. That is a problem because they only have a few Babies Born per Year, and it takes a long time for them to Grow in Numbers. The Breeding times for Walruses are February and March, and the Babies don’t Grow up until June. Baby Walruses are called Calves. The Calves weigh from 85-140 pounds when they are Born. The Calves are Colored Dark Grayish-Brown.
Walruses are considered a Type of Seal, but they are different from regular Seals. Like the Narwhals, they have long Tusks that are actually Teeth. They grow up to 2 Feet long on Cows and 4 Feet long on the Bulls. Each of the Walruses has 2 Ivory Tusks. The longer the Tusks the more Important the Walrus is in the Group that he or she is in. Walruses stay in Herds their whole Lives. They use the Tusks to dig up their Food from the bottom of the Ocean Floor. They have Bristles on their Faces to sense their Food across the Ocean Floor. Walruses also have Feet! The Walruses, unlike the Seals that drag their Tails around, can Walk Faster than People can Run.
A Hundred Years Ago, there were 200,000 Walruses in the Pacific Ocean. In about 1970, the Number had Fallen to about 45,000. Most of the fall was caused by People Hunting Walruses. Now it has risen again to about 200,000, though we are not sure that this Number is right. There were Restrictions placed on Hunting. There are about 20,000 Walruses in the Atlantic. About 6,000 a Year are Killed by their Enemies. These include Killer Whales, Polar Bears, and Humans. Walruses never Attack People without being Attacked First, but a Walrus that is mad or Injured could Easily Hurt a Person or Damage a Boat. Like the Narwhal, Walruses are useful to Humans. People use the Walruses Meat to Eat for Themselves and Feed the Sled Dogs. They use the Oil for Food, and the Skin to Build Shelter, Boats, Coats etc.
Walruses live in the Arctic, North Atlantic, and North Pacific Oceans. These Oceans are Cold since they are near the North Pole. Walruses live in these Cold Waters. They Swim close to the Coasts where they like to stay. In the Spring and Winter, they like to Float on the Ice close to Shore.
The Male Walruses are called Bulls and Female Walruses are Called are Cows. The Bull weighs 2 Tons and Cows weigh 1 ton. The Bulls are 10-12 ft. long, and Cows are 8-9 ft. long. Some Walruses are a Pink to a Light Brown Color.
Walruses have a Big Appetite, too. Their Favorite Food is Clams, but they also eat Snails, Crabs, Shrimp, Mud Worms, Urchins and Mussels, a type of Fish. They don’t Eat every Day, but when they do, they Eat a lot. Walruses have been found with 100 Pounds of Food in their Stomachs. What Weighs more, a Walrus or a Polar Bear? A Walruses does! A Bull Walrus weighs about 2 Tons, while a Polar Bear weighs about 900 Pounds. Still, Polar Bears are Dangerous and eat Walruses.
In Mating Season, Males make Bell Type Noises under the Water. This brings the Females to Him and makes some of the other Males leave. Sometimes the Males use their Tusks to fight over the Cows. Walruses have One Baby every other Year. That is a problem because they only have a few Babies Born per Year, and it takes a long time for them to Grow in Numbers. The Breeding times for Walruses are February and March, and the Babies don’t Grow up until June. Baby Walruses are called Calves. The Calves weigh from 85-140 pounds when they are Born. The Calves are Colored Dark Grayish-Brown.
Walruses are considered a Type of Seal, but they are different from regular Seals. Like the Narwhals, they have long Tusks that are actually Teeth. They grow up to 2 Feet long on Cows and 4 Feet long on the Bulls. Each of the Walruses has 2 Ivory Tusks. The longer the Tusks the more Important the Walrus is in the Group that he or she is in. Walruses stay in Herds their whole Lives. They use the Tusks to dig up their Food from the bottom of the Ocean Floor. They have Bristles on their Faces to sense their Food across the Ocean Floor. Walruses also have Feet! The Walruses, unlike the Seals that drag their Tails around, can Walk Faster than People can Run.
A Hundred Years Ago, there were 200,000 Walruses in the Pacific Ocean. In about 1970, the Number had Fallen to about 45,000. Most of the fall was caused by People Hunting Walruses. Now it has risen again to about 200,000, though we are not sure that this Number is right. There were Restrictions placed on Hunting. There are about 20,000 Walruses in the Atlantic. About 6,000 a Year are Killed by their Enemies. These include Killer Whales, Polar Bears, and Humans. Walruses never Attack People without being Attacked First, but a Walrus that is mad or Injured could Easily Hurt a Person or Damage a Boat. Like the Narwhal, Walruses are useful to Humans. People use the Walruses Meat to Eat for Themselves and Feed the Sled Dogs. They use the Oil for Food, and the Skin to Build Shelter, Boats, Coats etc.
Krill
Size Range: Between 16 and 25mm
The North Pacific Krill is an Ocean-Based Crustacean that can Grow up to 25mm in Length (this is a bit of a Stretch, however; most Average around 16mm). The word Euphausia is Latin for 'Brightly Shining', and indeed, these Small Invertebrates are Noted for what Appears to be a Bioluminescent Characteristic throughout their Species. North Pacific Krill have Large Black Eyes and Large Abdomens, and closer Inspection Reveals what Appear to be Gills formed around their Legs, and Scales on their Antennae (these Scales are very Large and used to Protect their Antennae from Damage).
The North Pacific Krill Live, as their Name would Suggest, on the Ocean of the same Name. This stretch in Habitat Runs from the Southernmost Coasts of the US all the way to Japan, and due to their Instincts to Band into close 'Clouds' of Themselves, they can Cover Large Areas as a Quasi-Community without having to move from One Place to another. However, the Accumulation of these Krill is anything but Organized; while krill can Accumulate into these Areas of themselves, they Usually form these Clusters in Areas that would be the most Hospitable. The Gist is that these krill can be found in Very Large Quantities around the Stretch that is their Habitat, while other Areas are Completely Barren of Krill.
Krill tend to Dwell in the Ocean's "Twilight Zone" (the Area Between the 'Surface Zone' and the 'Bottom Zone'), wherein they can stay out of the Reach of most Surface Zone-Dwelling Predators. Krill swim to the Surface Zone during the Night, where, under Cover of Darkness, they can find and Feast on their Food Source, Phytoplankton.
As Mentioned Above, krill Feed mostly on Phytoplankton ("Plant Plankton"), making them Herbivorous. They Feed via a Complicated System in their Mouthparts wherein the Phytoplankton is Filtered out of the Water into the Krill's Jaws.
Krill do not Feed Exclusively on Phytoplankton; many are Omnivores who Feed off Animal Plankton (Zooplankton). As Mentioned before, Krill only come out at Night to Feed (all the better in Escaping from Hungry Predators).
Krill are perhaps the Richest form of Protein in the Entire Ocean, which may be why a Certain Surface-Dwelling Species (Humans) have Discovered and Started Harvesting them.
They tend to be a Primary Diet of Baleen Whales and a Number of Fish (notably Salmon); however, Humanity has Begun to take an Interest in these Small Creatures. In BC, Krill are Fished Out in Large Quantities in Order to Feed Aquariums, Fish Farms, and Ourselves; Japan is also Immensely Interested. Those who have tried Krill tend to say it has no Taste when Fresh and Raw; however a Bitter, Powerful Flavor is Created from Krill that is Dried Out in the Sun or Frozen.
Krill Reproduction Starts Out in a Familiar Way to Nearly every Living Creature: that with the Release of Sperm. Upon receiving the Male Krill's Sperm, Females Store the Semen in their Bodies and Fertilize them, and Proceed to Release the Eggs that come out of this Union. A Female can Release up to 20,000 Eggs at a Time in Clusters with Intervals in Between. The Eggs are Laid Several Hundred Meters in the Twilight Zone, where the Larvae can Safely Hatch without being Attacked by most Day-Dwelling Creatures. Upon Hatching, krill Larvae Feed off the Nutrients given by the Egg Yolk. Larvae soon Develop through many Stages
in order to Finally Reach their Adulthood.
Size Range: Between 16 and 25mm
The North Pacific Krill is an Ocean-Based Crustacean that can Grow up to 25mm in Length (this is a bit of a Stretch, however; most Average around 16mm). The word Euphausia is Latin for 'Brightly Shining', and indeed, these Small Invertebrates are Noted for what Appears to be a Bioluminescent Characteristic throughout their Species. North Pacific Krill have Large Black Eyes and Large Abdomens, and closer Inspection Reveals what Appear to be Gills formed around their Legs, and Scales on their Antennae (these Scales are very Large and used to Protect their Antennae from Damage).
The North Pacific Krill Live, as their Name would Suggest, on the Ocean of the same Name. This stretch in Habitat Runs from the Southernmost Coasts of the US all the way to Japan, and due to their Instincts to Band into close 'Clouds' of Themselves, they can Cover Large Areas as a Quasi-Community without having to move from One Place to another. However, the Accumulation of these Krill is anything but Organized; while krill can Accumulate into these Areas of themselves, they Usually form these Clusters in Areas that would be the most Hospitable. The Gist is that these krill can be found in Very Large Quantities around the Stretch that is their Habitat, while other Areas are Completely Barren of Krill.
Krill tend to Dwell in the Ocean's "Twilight Zone" (the Area Between the 'Surface Zone' and the 'Bottom Zone'), wherein they can stay out of the Reach of most Surface Zone-Dwelling Predators. Krill swim to the Surface Zone during the Night, where, under Cover of Darkness, they can find and Feast on their Food Source, Phytoplankton.
As Mentioned Above, krill Feed mostly on Phytoplankton ("Plant Plankton"), making them Herbivorous. They Feed via a Complicated System in their Mouthparts wherein the Phytoplankton is Filtered out of the Water into the Krill's Jaws.
Krill do not Feed Exclusively on Phytoplankton; many are Omnivores who Feed off Animal Plankton (Zooplankton). As Mentioned before, Krill only come out at Night to Feed (all the better in Escaping from Hungry Predators).
Krill are perhaps the Richest form of Protein in the Entire Ocean, which may be why a Certain Surface-Dwelling Species (Humans) have Discovered and Started Harvesting them.
They tend to be a Primary Diet of Baleen Whales and a Number of Fish (notably Salmon); however, Humanity has Begun to take an Interest in these Small Creatures. In BC, Krill are Fished Out in Large Quantities in Order to Feed Aquariums, Fish Farms, and Ourselves; Japan is also Immensely Interested. Those who have tried Krill tend to say it has no Taste when Fresh and Raw; however a Bitter, Powerful Flavor is Created from Krill that is Dried Out in the Sun or Frozen.
Krill Reproduction Starts Out in a Familiar Way to Nearly every Living Creature: that with the Release of Sperm. Upon receiving the Male Krill's Sperm, Females Store the Semen in their Bodies and Fertilize them, and Proceed to Release the Eggs that come out of this Union. A Female can Release up to 20,000 Eggs at a Time in Clusters with Intervals in Between. The Eggs are Laid Several Hundred Meters in the Twilight Zone, where the Larvae can Safely Hatch without being Attacked by most Day-Dwelling Creatures. Upon Hatching, krill Larvae Feed off the Nutrients given by the Egg Yolk. Larvae soon Develop through many Stages
in order to Finally Reach their Adulthood.