Black Sea Lion

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The Black Sea Lion (Rubidaphoca nigra) in the family Otariidae is a species of seal native to the southern coasts of the South Continent of the IDU. It is very common in Otea and Baranxtu.

It is one of the three species of the genus Rubidaphoca, the others being the Northern Red Sea Lion and the Southern Red Sea Lion.

Appearance

Most Black Sea Lions actually have a dark grey fur, although some do indeed appear deeply black.


It is the smallest of the three Rubidaphoca species; males grow to about 2m, weighing approximately 320kg, whereas females only reach about 1.7m and rarely exceed 100kg.

As a matter of fact, some scientists have proposed that the Black Sea Lion is actually the result of a mutation causing dwarfism in the Southern Red Sea Lion, with the predominant blackish fur color being brought on by a population bottleneck. Most members of the scientific community, however, reject this theory.

Behavior

Like their closest relatives, the Southern Red Sea Lions, the Black Sea Lions gather in large groups ashore and also hunt in groups (especially females and young males). Interestingly, the female groups are much more successfull in their hunt than the young males or the solitary elder male hunters.


However, during most of the year, bulls in productive age live in a separate colony with females having living in a larger community.

About two months before the mating season begins, bulls come to the females' colony and start fighting for a harem of their own. On average, a bull will mate with four-five females. About a month later, they leave the colony and go back to their place.

The gestation period lasts approximately 11 months, and only a single cub is born. Shortly after their birth, their mother will mate again. This usually occurs at the end of March.

Mother and child enjoy a close relationship and unlike in the other two Rubidaphoca species, the young do not form their own subcolonies.

Diet

Like all seals, Black Sea Lions are carnivores, and their main source of food are fish and squid.


They can dive up to 50m during their hunts.

How exactly a group of hunting seals coordinates is not discovered yet.

Habitat

The Black Sea Lions prefer sandy beaches in inlets or even along the banks of slow-flowing rivers.

If need be, they can adapt to other forms of environment, but not to the same extent as Southern Red Sea Lions. It is far more likely to find a group of the latter for example on piers than the Black Sea Lion.


The Black Sea Lion can be found on the Southern and Western Shores of the South Continent of the IDU.

Countries where the Black Sea Lion is a native species:

Status and Protection

The Black Sea Lion is not an endangered species in general, but it has been classified as such in Cikoutimi, where hunting the seals for their fur remained common until the a moratorium on hunting was implemented in March 2006, when the numbers of the seal had sunk to less than 4000 in Cikoutimi.

The overall population of the Black Sea Lion is established to be about 140,000 individuals.

Names