Sea Lions at Fort Ross

California and Steller sea lions are year round resdients on the islands off Fort Ross State Historic Park. Citizen science surveys are scheduled monthly during the week, weather and conditions permitting.

Fort Ross Sea Lion Rocks – location and photos

Sea Lion Species

California Sea Lions

Known for their intelligence, playfulness, and agility, California Sea Lions are found throughout the West Coast, from Baja California to British Columbia. Their long, wing-shaped front flippers give them a streamlined figure when swimming, as well as considerable mobility on land. Their playful attitude has also been noted when seen blowing bubbles, surfing, and playing with inanimate objects. The large crest of muscle on the males’ heads paired with the long, narrow snout sets the California sea lion apart from similar species.

Steller Sea Lions

First described in 1751, the Steller Sea Lion is named for naturalist George Wilhelm Steller, a German naturalist serving on a Russian expedition. Adult male steller sea lion reaches 9-12 feet in length and weighs up to 2,500 pounds. Their size, along with a large, muscular neck and thick mane, differentiate the males from females, who are generally two to three times smaller than the male Steller Sea Lion.

Molting of the fur takes place annually – in spring or summer for females and in later months for males.
Steller Sea Lions at Fort Ross, by Joe Mortenson

Read more about Steller sea lions at NOAA fisheries

Sea Lion Survey

Fort Ross' marine mammal surveyors come together to count the number of California and Steller Sea lions. Anyone with a passion for marine mammals and being outdoors is welcome to join us. Volunteers come from all over the Bay Area for the two hour survey and afterwards we enjoy lunch together at the Visitor Center.

Fort Ross has more than 10 years of data collected by our wonderful volunteers!

By providing an accurate year-round count of their populations, we hope to understand trends in their populations, if there are any signs of pupping at Fort Ross and take notes on their behavior. While we are counting, we also see grey whales very near to shore, humbpacks passing by and lots of other wildlife.

What have we found? The number of sea lions at Fort Ross has increased by 377% between 2013 and 2023! In January of 2024, we recorded our highest ever count of 413 sea lions.

Would you like to join us? Email questions and expressions of interest to mep@fortross.org

monitoring