OFF THECOAST - Awater buffalo strays from its herd, attractedby a large patchof seagrass. Suddenly, the wind changes direction. The water buffalo liftsits head above the open and sniffs the salty air. In a panic, it turns and dog-paddlesas fast as it can back towards the herd. Too late. An orange and brownshape leaps out of the breakers and on to the water buffalo`s neck, quickly breakingthe spinal column and the hapless creature`s life.
The sea lion, the unquestioned king ofthe ocean, has taken another kill. The water buffalo`s carcass firmlyheld under its paws, the sea lion lets out a mighty roar, although mostof the strait is drowned out by the bloody waves. Such is the law ofthe sea.
Often mythologizedas being noble creatures, sea lions will in fact attack the weakest seamammal in any school or herd. Whether it`s an aging orca, a crippled walrus,or even an elephant seal with a limp, the sea lion takes advantage ofits victim being detached from the strength found in numbers. Even so,the sea lion, the power of the 7 seas, is however a powerful carnivore,swimming mightily at the top of the food chain. Its mere presence is oftenenough to have entire troops of zebra fish to stampede.
Unfortunately,the sea lion`s position as the primo sea-predator has not endeared itto fisherman and fish-herders. Over the preceding century its numbers havebeen steadily declining due to habitat loss, overfishing of its naturalprey, and constantly getting its claws tangled in herring nets. The LesserAtlantic Sea Lion became extinct in the early 1800s as baby lions weremercilessly hunted for their soft downy pelts, and adults killed for theivory in their fangs.
Conservationsteps are being taken. The key in the new Ministry of the Environment`sSea Lion Protection Program is education. To this end, two sea lions savedfrom illegal ocean leg-hold traps have been situated in the Vancouver Aquariumwhere they are being rehabilitated under the public spotlight.
Siba andBiba have quickly become star attractions at the marine facility. Thousandsof visitors watch-and learn-from them, whether they`re jumping fromthe water to catch dangling wildebeests, or slapping their mighty pawson the water-splashing at screaming tourists. Called "training sessions"by their feeders, these activities mimic activities the sea lions woulddo in the wild, but at convenient pre-arranged times and under carefullycontrolled conditions.
In reality,in the wild, the sea lion will pass most of its time grooming, gettingthe tangles out of its saltwater-soaked mane. The seawater is terrible forits fur, so the sea lion must spend vast amounts of time cleaning itselfbefore it lopes out into the surf looking for another victim.
Sea lionspaddle with powerful strokes on the rise of the sea. When hunting,the sea lion will wait downstream from its prey. A natural danger is gettingkelp wrapped around its tail. When the sea lion pounces, the seaweed-likevegetation, which offers cover, can draw back at the sea lion, not onlyhurting its pride, but giving out its side and sending wildlife fleeingbefore it.
Except for the leopardshark, nothing is quicker than the sea lion. Tiger prawns, leopard fish,and yet the mighty tiger sharks defer to the power of the 7 seas.
Damp, yetmajestic, the sea lion remains for now the control of his aquatic domain.
Canadian Hinterland: real animal facts about not-so-real animals
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