The Hooker’s Sealion (Phocarctos hookeri) is also commonly known as the New Zealand Sealion. It belongs to the Sealion family Otariidae which also includes the Australian sea lion, the South American sea lion, the California sea lion and Steller sea lion. There are only five Sealion species found in the world and the Hooker’s Sealion is one of the most regionally localised and rarest of the world’s seal species. It is known to breed almost exclusively at the Auckland Islands in the New Zealand subantarctic region and a few sea lions also breed on New Zealand’s Campbell Island. Current scientific estimates is that the total population is now about 12,500 animals and it appears to have been stable for the past five decades.
Female tend to stay reasonably close to their breeding locations, but the males range further afield and each year some male sea lions are seen on Macquarie Island, which is the only Australian territory within this species range. Adult male Hooker’s Sealion’ can weigh over 400kg and will aggressively defend harems of up to about 25 females from other males during the breeding season. Females can weigh up to 160ks and pups weigh 7-8kg at birth. The Hooker’s Sealion is known to feed on a vaireirt of prey including octopus, squid and several types of fish. Additionally, they will occasionally feed on pelagic schooling crustaceans like lobster krill, and even on sea birds and juvenile Fur Seals. Large males have been seen killing and eating young elephant seals at Campbell Islands. They have the ability to dive deeper and longer than any other of the world’s sea lion or fur seals. Most of their feeding is conducted within waters of 100-200m, with each dive lasting 3-6 minutes, however some individuals have been recorded to dive to over 600m with dives of over 12 minutes.
The photo of the Hooker’s Sealion was taken by Melanie Lancaster on a research trip to Macquarie Island in 2004.
