Australian+Sea+Lion

__Australian sea lion__
__Species name:__ Neophoca cinerea




 * Scientific Classification:**
 * Domain || Eukaryota ||
 * Kingdom || Animalia ||
 * Phylum || Chordata ||
 * Class || Mammalia ||
 * Order || Carnivora ||
 * Family || Otariidae ||
 * Genus || Neophoca ||
 * Species || N. cinerea ||

__**Habitat**__: The Australian sea lions are only found on the South and West coast of Australia. They normally perfer sandy beaches or smooth rocks for breeding or haul-out sites. Their habitat range is around the Australian isalnds between the Houtman's Abrolhos (28 degrees South,112 degrees East) to the Pages Islands (34 degrees South,138 degrees East) on the Southern coast near the Kangaroo Island.



__**Physiology**__**:** Australian sea lions are sexually dimorphism.Some of the slight differences between the male and female are in size's. The male grows about 2.5 meters and weighs 300 kg. The female however, grows about 1.8 meters and weighs about 105 kg. The mature males tend to have dark brown and cream color crown, and pale color around chest and throat area's. The female's have slivery-grey color on top and pale yellow (creamy) on their front neck. Many sea-lions including Australian Sea-lions are "pinnipeds", meaning they are fin foot like seals are. The front flippers helps them to move on land and this becomes very useful in waters when swimming. The back flippers acting like a leg on land also helps them as a rudder in the water which make them an excellent swimmers. By the help of the pinnipeds they are able to dive and swim in deep cold waters. The australian sea-lion can hold their breathe for some time but it has to come to the surface of the water or they may drown. These sea-lions depend only on sea foods like fish, squids and small sharks. Australian sea lions have fur which acts like act insulator. The Australian sea lions are the native of Australia, found only on Kangroo Island and is also among the endangered species. One of the predator's of Australian sea lions are the great white sharks. It is extremely dangerous for the sea lions to be near the Dangerous Reef of the port Lincoln area because of the sharks, so many Australian sea lions are found on the Kangroo Island where they are kept safe and all the needs are met for breeding and feeding. The life expectancy of Australian sea lions are 12 year's.

Australian sea lions interation's are with fisheries and entanglement with marine debris. The competition for resources with the New Zealand Fur-Seal have also negatively effected the Australian Sea-lion. The rate of interactions with human and possible competition with New Zeland Fur-Seals, combined with the Australian sea lions indicates that the speices is likely experiencing reduction in number's.
 * __Species Interaction__:**

Australian sea lions mate on land. Gestation lasts for about 18 months, which includes 5-6 months of delayed implantation. Australian sea lions are viviparous and can only give birth to a single pup. The Australian sea lions are very different from the other sea lions because they have no mating or breeding season's. Pups can be born anytime around the year. The female nurses it's young for 15-18 months.
 * __Reproduction__:**

Australian sea lions are considered rare in South Australia and have received full legal protection since 1964. Presently there are only 3,000 to 5,000 Australion sea lions in existence. If they are not cared or looked after properly they may be listed under the Red list of Threatened Species in Australia. It's important to conserve this sea lions because they also keep predator's such as octupus, squids small sharks in control regarding their population numbers.
 * __Conservation Of Australian Sea Lion__**:



__**Citation:**__
[|http://theanimalfiles.com] []