World Sea Lion Day is an international commemorative day established in 2018. This day was established to honor Slick, a California sea lion who was kept in captivity for over 30 years at the Ocean of Fun facility in Kansas City, USA.
What kind of animal is it?
Sea lions are marine mammals. They have earlobes and well-developed front legs. They can use these legs to move freely in the sea and on land. They are highly intelligent, and when kept by humans, they become very tame and can learn simple tricks.
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Japanese sea lion
Japan once had an endemic species of Japanese sea lion, which is thought to have been distributed along the coasts of the country. However, due to overhunting from the end of the 19th century, by the beginning of the 20th century, they were rarely seen, except on some remote islands.
In the 2020 Red Data Book of the Ministry of the Environment, they are classified as endangered.
Uncertain term "sea lion"
The definition of sea lion varies widely as follows.
Historical sea lions in Japan
Sea lions mentioned in historical documents such as Nihon Koki and Wakan Sansai Zue almost always refer to Japanese sea lions. This is the original meaning.
Sea lion genus
A general term that includes three species: Japanese sea lion, California sea lion, and Galapagos sea lion. Some theories consider this to be one or two species, but the meaning is basically the same.
Species with "-ashika" in the Japanese name
In addition to the Sea lion genus, it also includes Australian sea lions and New Zealand sea lions, but this is not a taxonomic group.
Otariinae
A broad definition of sea lion that includes sea lions such as otarias and sea lions, and the English term "sea lion" corresponds to this. However, the Otariinae are not monophyletic, and the only thing they have in common is that they do not have long body hair.
Otariidae
An even broader definition that includes fur seals.
Walruses and seals belong to a different family.