Japanese Sea Lion
Zalophus japonicus
Conservation Status
ExtinctMammalia · Carnivora · Otariidae
About
The Japanese sea lion was an aquatic mammal that became extinct in the 1970s. It was considered to be a subspecies of the related California sea lion until 2003. They inhabited the western North Pacific and its marginal seas including the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan, especially around the coastal areas of the Japanese Archipelago and the Korean Peninsula. They generally bred on sandy beaches which were open and flat, but sometimes in rocky areas. They were hunted commercially in the 1900s, leading to their extinction.
Fun Fact
japonicus are from the 1970s, with the last confirmed record being a juvenile specimen captured in 1974 off the coast of Rebun Island, northern Hokkaido.
Quick Facts
Habitat
To be updated
Diet
To be updated
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Habitat Destruction
- Overexploitation