(Photo by Alexey V Altukhov, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Early summer mornings off Vancouver Island come alive with a strange sound—deep, thunderous roars rolling across the sea. It’s not a boat engine or a strange foghorn. It’s the Steller sea lions, bellowing from rocky haul-outs like Race Rocks and Barkley Sound.

These giant mammals aren’t just loud—they’re the largest eared seals (Otariidae) in the world, and they’re not afraid to show it.

🦁 Roar for the Throne

In the world of sea lions, volume is power. During the breeding season, male Steller sea lions claim rocky territories and roar—loud enough to be heard 90+ metres away.

Their deep calls help defend turf and attract females. It’s not just drama—it’s dominance. In Coast Salish stories, these roars were once believed to echo messages from sea spirits, warning of danger or guiding hunters.

🧔Giant and Bearded Sea Uncle

Male Steller sea lions can weigh up to 1,120 kilograms and stretch 3.2 metres long. With thick necks and coarse fur, they look like lions wearing seaweed scarves. Their long white whiskers give them the wise, slightly grumpy look of a bearded sea uncle.

💤 Lazy Sunbathers by Day, Stealthy Hunters by Night

They may look like oversized sausages piled on rocks, but don’t be fooled. When night falls, these loafers turn into skilled predators.

With sensitive whiskers that detect fish movement, they work in teams (or sometimes solo) to hunt over 100 types of prey. Think of them as the ocean’s slightly noisy but efficient foodies.

🌊 The Deep Dive & Deep Menu

Despite their bulk, Steller sea lions are elite divers. They can dive reaching 424 metres deep and stay underwater usually under 5 minutes.

Their menu includes schooling fish like herring, pollock, and eulachon—and yes, some are cheeky enough to grab “takeout” from salmon farms.

🍔 Hungry Kings of the Sea

To stay powered, adult sea lions eat 6% of their body weight every day—that’s like a person eating 40 cheeseburgers daily. But interestingly, males don’t eat at all during the breeding season. They fast for weeks, losing up to a quarter of their body weight just to guard their breeding territories.

And they don’t drink seawater—they get all the moisture they need from the fish they eat.

🧸 Fluffy Pups: Born in Black, Fade to Gold

Pups are born in early summer (May-August), covered in dark brown-black fur, which slowly fades into the golden coats we recognize.

At birth, they weigh around 23 kg, and they usually paddle behind mom at 4-6 weeks!

📣 Keep the Roar Alive

Steller sea lions nearly extinctic from Alaska, with populations dropping over 80% due to overfishing and human disturbance. While their numbers are slowly recovering in BC, they are still under “special concern” as a Species-At-Risk facing threats like warming oceans, ocean pollution, and human disturbance.

Here’s how to help:

• Keep your distance—at least 91 metres. Getting too close can cause panic, leading to stampedes that injure or separate pups.
• Never feed them—it’s illegal and makes them rely on people, weakening their natural hunting instincts.

By giving these ocean giants space and respect, we can help keep their powerful roars echoing along BC’s coastline for years to come.

Learn More

• National Park Service. (2017). Steller sea lion.

• Wikipedia. (2025). Steller sea lion.

• The Whale Trail. (2024). Steller Sea Lion.

• NOAA. (2025). Steller Sea Lion

• Marine Mammal Research Unit. (2025). Steller sea lion - biology fast facts.

• WWF. (2014). Meet our species of the month: The sea lion.

• NowThis Earth. (2022). What to do When Encountering Sea Lions.

• Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). (2003). COSEWIC Assessment and Update Status Report on the Steller Sea Lion Eumetopias jubatus in Canada.