Sea Lions - The Grizzly Sanctuary

Sea Lions

The beautiful Stellar Sea Lions of the Alaskan Peninsula.

This is a photographer and nature enthusiasts dream location to view and photograph the largest member of the family of " eared seals ". Less than Forty years ago the Stellar Sea Lion's population was nearly 300,000 worldwide. Many authorities from various nations around the world who have studied these amazing creatures now believe that the Stellar Sea Lions shrinking numbers can be directly related to man's constant intervention into their wild life existence. There is just to much commercial fishing with the sustained loss of the Stellar Sea Lions habitat and continual shrinking of their breeding grounds have caused their numbers to drop substantially 50% world wide of what it was a just few decades ago.

One of the few Stellar Sea Lion " rookeries " near the Grizzly Sanctuary.

A rare and beautiful sight for photographers.

The rookeries safe from the bears.

Fortunately along the coast of the Grizzly Sanctuary there still is a healthy population of these magnificent mammals. Not far from a few of our less traveled bays there are several remote and almost hidden islands jagged with rocky cliffs that seems to be a magnet for the Stellar Sea Lion. The Stellar Sea Lions use these year after year and are called " rookeries ". It is here on these rookeries that they congregate. Protected from bears and man on these rugged islands the Sea Lions has a chance to can carry on their natural life cycle.

Great photo opportunities from June to September.

A male Sea Lion guards his females.

A beautiful coat of chocolate brown to a dark reddish brown make these calm natured giants pleasing to photograph. Although there are variations, most females reach maximum size by the seventh year, and males
reach adult size by the twelfth year. Larger adult males average 1250 -1400 pounds. and may be 10-12 feet long. Adult females average approx half this size.

Along the coast of Katmai National Park is one of the Stellar Sea Lions last strong holds.

Stellar Sea Lions are found from the northwestern California coast northward into the Bearing Sea of Alaska.
They are also distributed into Russia along the Kamchatka Peninsula. Alaska seems to have the greatest concentration of these gentle giants with the coast line of Katmai being a safe haven for most of their population. his is a great place for photographers looking for unique images to add to their wildlife portfolio. The sea lions locations offer rugged and dramatic backdrops of jagged islands, green rolling mountains often capped in snow and fog. At certain angles blue skies filled with fluffy white clouds. We recommend that you have a long lens and image stabilization if possible. Because of rough water, engine idle and motion of the boat and due to the careful and safest way to approach these islands, most photographers will be forced to hand hold their camera. Nearly all of your images of the Stellar Sea Lions will be from a moving or drifting boat. We try to get as close to the rugged islands as safety will permit but if the seas are rough we cannot get too close. This will be a chance of a life time for wild Stellar Sea Lions.

If you would like to go...contact: Scott@thewildz.com