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Reproductive Behavior & Life History

A fertilized egg may remain inside a female for up to three months before being implanted and beginning to form into a blastocyst.

This behavior is called the maternal attendance pattern and is common in otariids. As pups get older the amount of time spent by females foraging out at sea increases.This continues until pups obtain the ideal body weight and energy reserves in order to eat on their own. In a study conducted by the University of California, Santa Cruz studies found that on average male pups consume more milk than females this may be due to the differences in sexual dimorphism common to otariids.

In the past, the low pup production has been tied to an increase in nutritional stress found in females. This was believed to have contributed to the decline in Steller sea lions common to Alaska.

Recent decline and subsequent recovery

Another possible reason for decline in this species has been tied to the Nutritional Stress Hypothesis. The lack of prey corresponds to the decrease in population. In females specifically, not obtaining sufficient amount of nutrients has led to not being to complete their pregnancy to full term.