New Zealand Sealion with prey - at Aromoana Mole, Dunedin
The New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) is the most endangered sealion in the world.
It is distinguished from other New Zealand otariids by their blunt nose and short whiskers. They have sexual dimorphism, ie males and females are physically different.
Adult females (rāpoko):
length 180–200 cm
weight 85–160 kg
lighter in colour, predominantly creamy grey with darker pigmentation around their flippers.
The age of maturity for females is 3–4 years and the gestation period around 10 months. The average estimated reproductive rate of adult female New Zealand sea lions is 65% per year.
Adult males (whakahao):
length 240–350 cm
weight 320–450 kg
brown to black in colour with well-developed manes reaching to the shoulders.
Males are sexually mature when 5 years old, but they can't sire their first pup until they are strong enough to hold their own territory, at about 8-9 years old.
New Zealand Sealion with prey - at Aromoana Mole, Dunedin
The New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) is the most endangered sealion in the world.
It is distinguished from other New Zealand otariids by their blunt nose and short whiskers. They have sexual dimorphism, ie males and females are physically different.
Adult females (rāpoko):
length 180–200 cm
weight 85–160 kg
lighter in colour, predominantly creamy grey with darker pigmentation around their flippers.
The age of maturity for females is 3–4 years and the gestation period around 10 months. The average estimated reproductive rate of adult female New Zealand sea lions is 65% per year.
Adult males (whakahao):
length 240–350 cm
weight 320–450 kg
brown to black in colour with well-developed manes reaching to the shoulders.
Males are sexually mature when 5 years old, but they can't sire their first pup until they are strong enough to hold their own territory, at about 8-9 years old.