New Zealand Sea Lion
89 images Created 1 Jan 2010
Hooker's Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) is a vulnerable species, with an estimated population of about 9,000 in 2008.
New Zealand Sea Lions were once found up to the top of the North Island, but after hunting by Maori and Europeans, were almost extinct by the mid-1800s. The only breeding on the mainland is in the Otago region where it began with a single pup in the 1993/94 season and now averages 4 pups per year - almost all related to the original female.
Adult males (Whakahao) are dark grey or dark brown in colour with a mane of longer thicker hair around the neck. Females (Kaki) are much smaller and lighter in colour with no mane, similar to juvenile males.
Like other eared seals, they lift their body off the ground and are able to walk on their flippers, which means they can reach speeds of up to 20km/hr on land.
New Zealand Sea Lions were once found up to the top of the North Island, but after hunting by Maori and Europeans, were almost extinct by the mid-1800s. The only breeding on the mainland is in the Otago region where it began with a single pup in the 1993/94 season and now averages 4 pups per year - almost all related to the original female.
Adult males (Whakahao) are dark grey or dark brown in colour with a mane of longer thicker hair around the neck. Females (Kaki) are much smaller and lighter in colour with no mane, similar to juvenile males.
Like other eared seals, they lift their body off the ground and are able to walk on their flippers, which means they can reach speeds of up to 20km/hr on land.
