Rapoka (or whakahao) - New Zealand sea lion - Phocarctos hookeri
A large male sunbathing and cooling itself with sand on Chrystalls Beach, Otago, New Zealand.
New Zealand sea lions are only found in New Zealand. They are one of the rarest species of sea lion in the world and arguably the most threatened because of their declining numbers and restricted breeding range.
Sea lions are found mainly on beaches in Otago and Southland areas and New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands.
Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System the New Zealand sea lions is classed as Nationally Critical, the highest threat classification in New Zealand.
Formerly known as the Hooker's sea lion the species has a blunt nose and short whiskers.
There is a marked difference in appearance between adult males and females.
Mature males are brown to black in colour with well-developed manes reaching to the shoulders.
Females are lighter in colour, predominantly creamy grey with darker pigmentation around their flippers.
Adult females: length 1.6-2.0 m, weight 100-160 kg
Adult males: length 2.4-3.5 m, weight 250-400 kg.
Pups of both sexes are chocolate brown with paler areas around the head. Juvenile males can resemble adult females in colour and size.
Range
Archaeological evidence suggests that NZ sea lions used to be found along the entire length of the NZ coast from the north of the North Island down to Stewart Island and the subantarctic Islands. The finding of sea lion remains in excavations and historical records indicate that both Mäori and European settlers hunted sea lions.
Nowadays NZ sea lions breeding colonies are only found in the Auckland and Campbell Islands (North West Bay of Campbell Island). 79% of the species’ pups are born in three islands of the Auckland Islands (Dundas, Enderby and Figure of Eight). The Auckland Islands sea lion colonies are nevertheless a remnant of what used to be once before the island’s discovery in 1806. Soon after sea lions were exploited for their pelts for a period of 24 years until activities ceased due to the low numbers of animals remaining. It is evident that many New Zealand sea lions were killed during this time but it is unknown exactly how many due to poor and often non-existent record keeping. Occasional killings continued until the late 1880's when the animals were protected by law.
In 1993 a single female, born at the Auckland Islands, started to breed on the Otago peninsula. From 1993 to 2014, 63 pups have been born at the Otago peninsula with the original female's daughter, granddaughters and great-granddaughters now breeding there. Breeding is also occurring in small numbers on Stewart Island.
Haul-out sites are more widespread and extend to Macquarie Island in the south to Stewart Island and the islands of Foveaux Strait.
Sea lions favour sandy beaches as haul-out areas. On warm summer days they will flick sand over themselves to try to keep cool. Females with pups will often move well inland on islands using vegetation or forest for shelter.
Population
Recent population estimates set the total population at about 10,000 and declining. This makes the New Zealand sea lion the rarest sea lion species in the world. Apart from the Australian sea lion (whose population is estimated to be 10,000-15,000), all other sea lion species are in the hundreds of thousands!
Rapoka (or whakahao) - New Zealand sea lion - Phocarctos hookeri
A large male sunbathing and cooling itself with sand on Chrystalls Beach, Otago, New Zealand.
New Zealand sea lions are only found in New Zealand. They are one of the rarest species of sea lion in the world and arguably the most threatened because of their declining numbers and restricted breeding range.
Sea lions are found mainly on beaches in Otago and Southland areas and New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands.
Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System the New Zealand sea lions is classed as Nationally Critical, the highest threat classification in New Zealand.
Formerly known as the Hooker's sea lion the species has a blunt nose and short whiskers.
There is a marked difference in appearance between adult males and females.
Mature males are brown to black in colour with well-developed manes reaching to the shoulders.
Females are lighter in colour, predominantly creamy grey with darker pigmentation around their flippers.
Adult females: length 1.6-2.0 m, weight 100-160 kg
Adult males: length 2.4-3.5 m, weight 250-400 kg.
Pups of both sexes are chocolate brown with paler areas around the head. Juvenile males can resemble adult females in colour and size.
Range
Archaeological evidence suggests that NZ sea lions used to be found along the entire length of the NZ coast from the north of the North Island down to Stewart Island and the subantarctic Islands. The finding of sea lion remains in excavations and historical records indicate that both Mäori and European settlers hunted sea lions.
Nowadays NZ sea lions breeding colonies are only found in the Auckland and Campbell Islands (North West Bay of Campbell Island). 79% of the species’ pups are born in three islands of the Auckland Islands (Dundas, Enderby and Figure of Eight). The Auckland Islands sea lion colonies are nevertheless a remnant of what used to be once before the island’s discovery in 1806. Soon after sea lions were exploited for their pelts for a period of 24 years until activities ceased due to the low numbers of animals remaining. It is evident that many New Zealand sea lions were killed during this time but it is unknown exactly how many due to poor and often non-existent record keeping. Occasional killings continued until the late 1880's when the animals were protected by law.
In 1993 a single female, born at the Auckland Islands, started to breed on the Otago peninsula. From 1993 to 2014, 63 pups have been born at the Otago peninsula with the original female's daughter, granddaughters and great-granddaughters now breeding there. Breeding is also occurring in small numbers on Stewart Island.
Haul-out sites are more widespread and extend to Macquarie Island in the south to Stewart Island and the islands of Foveaux Strait.
Sea lions favour sandy beaches as haul-out areas. On warm summer days they will flick sand over themselves to try to keep cool. Females with pups will often move well inland on islands using vegetation or forest for shelter.
Population
Recent population estimates set the total population at about 10,000 and declining. This makes the New Zealand sea lion the rarest sea lion species in the world. Apart from the Australian sea lion (whose population is estimated to be 10,000-15,000), all other sea lion species are in the hundreds of thousands!