Sea Lions Conservation Efforts
There are many elements out there in the world that have led to the declined numbers of Sea Lions found in the world. They are recognized as a type of animal that is endangered, with many of the species on the brink of extinction. As a result conservation efforts have been put in place to help try to increase their numbers.
For a very long time humans were responsible for the declining numbers. Today it is illegal in many areas to hunt, harm, or kill a Sea Lion. However, this doesn’t stop such events from taking place illegally. In some countries including Japan there are laws to protect Sea Lions but they simply aren’t enforced. It isn’t just humans though as there are some natural problems that continue to threaten Sea Lions as well.
Adult Sea Lions tend to suffer from a variety of health issues. They include cancer, epilepsy, and pneumonia. These are problems that tend to mainly affect adults. They occur both in captivity and in the wild. Once a Sea Lion has them there is very little chance of recovery even with human interventions.
Tapeworms and parasites are a huge concern for Sea Lions as well. While they generally aren’t life threatening they can cause the overall health of the animals to deteriorate. Should these tapeworms occur in those that aren’t adults yet their overall size can be reduced. This is because the tapeworms take away many of the nutrients that the Sea Lions depend on to grow properly.
While the female Sea Lions do try to take good care of their young, they will put their own needs first. If they aren’t getting enough food they will stop producing milk for the young to live on. They may become a meal for male Sea Lions when other main sources of food have become scarce.
Many of the young pups drown when they are in the water due to not being strong enough for the currents. They have a coloring that is brown for the first six months which means they don’t blend in as well with the water to hide from predators including Killer Whales and Sharks. On land these young pups can end up being trampled too by the adults when there is a threat and they have to move rapidly.
There are now International Laws in place to help protect the Sea Lion from becoming extinct. Conservation groups are working hard to educate the public about the need to protect them. There are laws in place to help protect their natural environments too. For example in California there are limits of where boats can go so that Sea Lions aren’t as likely to be struck by them.
Cleaning up the environment is a huge part of the conservation efforts for Sea Lions. By keeping the water clean they are less likely to become ill. They will also be able to find adequate food sources in the water to survive on. Protecting the land where they bask in the sun and where they mate is also important.
Hopefully such efforts will be enough to help the numbers increase for Sea Lions. Since they do very well in captivity some of the efforts involve taking them to locations where they can be cared for. They can also give birth in captivity and the offspring will have a very high chance of survival.
However, it is very expensive to keep Sea Lions in captivity. Most conservation groups agree that the goal should be to protect them in the wild instead of moving more of them into captivity.
