Mammals
New Zealand Sea Lion
Phocarctos hookeri · also called Hooker's sea lion
Venturing far further inland than almost any other sea lion, sometimes deep into tussock grassland and forest, a New Zealand sea lion breeds on some of the most remote islands in the Southern Ocean, making it one of the rarest and most geographically confined sea lion species alive today.
Overview
The New Zealand sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri, is an Endangered marine mammal native to ocean and coastal habitat across New Zealand’s subantarctic islands and surrounding waters. Its extremely restricted breeding range, unusual inland-ranging behaviour, and ongoing threats from fishing bycatch and disease make it one of the more conservation-critical sea lion species found anywhere in the world.
A sea lion that leaves the sea behind
While most sea lions rarely stray far from the shoreline, the New Zealand sea lion regularly hauls itself deep into vegetated terrain on its breeding islands, a striking departure from typical sea lion behaviour that reflects just how undisturbed and predator-free its remote island home has historically been.
Status
Endangered, with populations declining at key breeding sites due to fishing bycatch and periodic disease outbreaks, leaving the total population numbering only in the low thousands.
New Zealand Sea Lion: common questions
Where does the New Zealand sea lion breed?
This species breeds almost entirely on New Zealand's remote Auckland and Campbell Islands, far south of the New Zealand mainland, making it one of the most geographically restricted sea lion species.
Why is the New Zealand sea lion unusual among sea lions?
This species regularly travels well inland into tussock grassland and even forest, far from the immediate shoreline, a habit not typically seen in most other sea lion species.
What threatens the New Zealand sea lion?
This species faces significant threats from accidental capture in commercial squid trawl fisheries and from periodic disease outbreaks at its main breeding colonies, both contributing to its ongoing decline.
How can you tell male and female New Zealand sea lions apart?
This species shows strong differences between the sexes, with adult males growing much larger than females and developing a thick, dark mane around the neck and shoulders that females lack.