The Santa Cruz Wharf: Is that a Sea Lion or Seal?

Seal or sea lion? What do you think? Photo: Lauren Salazar/Mobile Ranger
Seal or sea lion? What do you think? Photo: Lauren Salazar/Mobile Ranger

California’s Santa Cruz Wharf is a common resting place of the oft-noisy sea lion (Zalophus californianus). You may also see harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) but they are much less common on the wharf. The two animals are often confused. I was amazed at how many pictures and videos on the web have sea lions from the Santa Cruz Wharf mislabeled as seals!

Harbor seal on a rock in Monterey Bay. Photo by Dr. Steve Lonhart, courtesy NOAA MBNMS, www.sanctuarysimon.org.
Harbor seal on a rock in Monterey Bay. Photo by Dr. Steve Lonhart, courtesy NOAA MBNMS, www.sanctuarysimon.org.

The confusion is compounded by the name of our local “seal rock”. It is a small island located to the right of the Santa Cruz Lighthouse just off the point. Despite its name, you’ll never see a harbor seal there. It is, however, a regular haul-out for sea lions. In case you are not sure which is which:

A group of sea lions off of the Santa Cruz Wharf. Picture © Ian Hunter.
A group of sea lions off of the Santa Cruz Wharf. Picture © Ian Hunter.

Size Matters

In general their sizes are very different. Full-grown sea lions are much bigger than harbor seals, with a full-grown harbor seal weighing about 300 pounds, compared to a full-grown bull sea lion at over 800 pounds. However, size can be deceptive for the youngsters. Yearling and juvenile sea lions are roughly about the size of a harbor seal.

A group of sea lions sleeping on the dock. Can you tell the males from the females?
A group of sea lions sleeping on the dock. Note the few full grown male bulls.

Sea Lions

  • Males can be up to 8 feet long, while females are usually just under 6 feet. A full-grown bull sea lion can weigh over 800 pounds.
  • They have ear flaps and the front flippers of a sea lion are large and can bend forward, allowing the sea lion to push its upper body into a kind of push-up position, exposing its chest. They can also point their hind flippers forwards to help them move on land.
  • Their snouts are slightly pointed.
  • Females and juveniles are usually a tawny brown but may be light gray or silver after molting. Adult males are typically dark brown but can be can be anywhere from light brown to black.
  • A lone sea lion in the water. Note the ear flap. Picture © Ian Hunter.
    A lone sea lion in the water. Note the ear flap. Picture © Ian Hunter.

    Harbor Seals

  • Have ear holes (no flaps) and tiny front flippers that only allow a hauled-out seal to lay flat like a big sausage.
  • Their snouts are shorter than sea lions and kind of snubby and blunt.
  • Males can be up to 6.5 feet long while females are usually just under 5.5 feet.
  • Seals are usually light or dark gray, with a lot of color variation. Each animal has its own pattern of dark rings or spots.
  • Harbor seals. These are hanging out on the rocks on the beach at Wilder Ranch
    Harbor seals. These are hanging out on the rocks on the beach at Wilder Ranch

    Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

    This piece is part of the Marine Life Guide. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

    takeTheTourbluetopoFontITC

    Go to Mobile Ranger Guides in the Apple App Store
    Go to Mobile Ranger Guides in the Google Play Store
    1. Sources Used



    About The Author

    I really enjoy field trips. I love being in a cool place and having someone tell me about it. The problem is, you can’t always find a professor or park ranger-type to tell you all they know about the local rocks, plants, and history. So I decided to combine my love of things natural with mobile technology.

    Related posts

    4 Comments

    1. Brandi Yates

      I was just explaining the difference to some one. Then we saw a sea lion beached-yet they were convinced it was a walrus, when I got them to admit it was the wrong environment for one they thought it was an elephant seal.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *