The sea lions acquire their name from George Wilhelm Steller. George was a distinguished German naturalist. He went on an expedition to Alaska in 1741. There Vitus Bering accompanied George while he studied the sea lions. There he was the first qualified observer to study and classify the sea lions. .
Steller Sea lions are a member of the Otaridae family or eared seal. Stellers are characterized by an external ear, which can be closed when entering water. The sea lions have hind feet and flippers than point forward. Their face is boxy and bear-like. They have a colossal build and a very substantial neck. This resembles a lion's mane; consequently, this is where the name sea lion comes from. The Steller is a warm-blooded mammal. Stellers are classified as pinnipeds, which means feather-footed. They have fin-like members for propulsion. Stellers can reach a max out at speed of seventeen miles per hour. The Steller sea lion swims by way of the breaststroke.
Most Stellers are originated from the North Pacific Rim to Japan to central California. Stellers have a propensity to be non-migratory because they have no mass movement to summer or winter grounds. They tend to remain off shore or haul out in uninhabited areas. The population of the Steller is around 80,000 and the middling herd is about 200 per Sea Lion Cave. They have a life span of about twenty years. .
Steller Sea lions tend to breed and bear between May and August. The females have a twin uterus, which, is a characteristic of pinnipeds. There gestation period is nine months. The newborn sea lions are called pups. They are immune to most diseases as long as they are breast-fed. The pups stay with their mothers for at least one year.
Steller sea lions are carnivorous. They have jaws that are similar to those of bears and their teeth are those found in dogs, cat, and other flesh eaters. For nourishment, they feed on fish that they catch themselves. Sea lions may descend in exploration of food to a depth of 80 to 100 fathoms.