Notable Mammals in Washington:

Otariidae Family

Zalophus californianus (California sea lion)

Photo by Joseph Dougherty

These animals are well-known for their habit of waiting downstream of dams to catch salmon disoriented by the dam’s spillways.  This has been a controversial feeding tactic that has, unfortunately, led to the destruction and removal of several of these animals by state agencies and fisherman.  They are intelligent and easily trainable animals and their habitat extends from Mexico up into southern Alaska. In the North, the population of sea lions switches to the larger Stellar’s sea lion and the California sea lion is an infrequent visitor.

Identifying features:

• Slender bodied, except the bulkier bulls
• Snout is long, straight and narrow
• Foreflippers are broad and easily movable
• They are varying shades of brown
• These animals are very maneuverable on land, but their true beauty is seen in their grace underwater

Habitat preferences:

Their territory extends along most of the west coast of North America, but they prefer hall out locations at sandy beaches to breed and bare their young.  This preference does not stop them from utilizing any haul out location that presents itself including docks, navigational buoys and other manmade areas.

(Folkens 2002, Castro 2007)

Callorhinus ursinus (northern fur seal)

Photo by Holly Beimler

Eumetopias jubatus (Stellar’s sea lion or northern sea lion)

Photo by Gerald and Buff Corsi copyright California Academy of Sciences

(Folkens 2002)

Mustelidae Family

Enhydra lutris (sea otter)

Photo by Holly Beimler

Identifying features:

• Larger than the river otter
• Short broad head with short blunt snout
• Hind paws are flipper like
• Front paws are round and very maneuverable like hands
• Tail is long and flattened
• Completely covered in a very dense fur
• Moves very awkwardly on land

(Folkens 2002)

Lontra canadensis (river otter)

Photo by Gerald and Buff Corsi copyright California Academy of Sciences

Identifying features:

• Smaller than the sea otter
• Small webbed hind paws without elongated outer toes (circular in shape)
• Small circular front paws
• Elongated head and snout
• Tail is long and rounded
• Fur is not as dense as a sea otter
• Moves very easily and quickly on land

This web page is part of the UWT Marine Ecology 2008 Class Project.

Web page by Holly C. Beimler: Environmental Studies, Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma.