California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyOtariidae (Eared Seals)
- GenusZalophus (California, Galápagos, and Japanese Sea Lions)
- SpeciesZalophus californianus (California Sea Lion)
The California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is a coastal eared seal native to western North America. It is one of six species of sea lions. Its natural habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to central Mexico, including the Gulf of California. California sea lions are sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females, and have a thicker neck, and a protruding sagittal crest. They mainly haul out on sandy or rocky beaches, but they also frequent manmade environments such as marinas and wharves. California sea lions feed on a number of species of fish and squid, and are preyed on by orcas and great white sharks. Wikipedia →
50–60% of wildlife watchers report a California Sea Lion sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 628 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Channel Islands National Park
Juan Fernández Fur Seal
Arctocephalus philippii
Northern Sea Lion
Eumetopias jubatus
Island Fox
Urocyon littoralis
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Northern Elephant Seal
Mirounga angustirostris
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Coyote
Canis latrans
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Western Spotted Skunk
Spilogale gracilis
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Mountain Lion
Puma concolor
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a California Sea Lion in Channel Islands National Park?
About 54% of wildlife watchers report a California Sea Lion sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 628 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see California Sea Lion in Channel Islands National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for California Sea Lion in Channel Islands National Park in our monthly data.