Lions of the Belle Chain

December 1997 - January 1998

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Kathryn Gardner

We were packing our kayaks on the shore of Campbell Bay, Mayne Island for a day trip around Mayne and Saturna islands-at least that's what we were saying out loud. In reality Pat, Shannon and I were going to spy on the sea lions that were rumoured to be hauled out on the Belle Chain Islets just over two miles away. The cool morning air was scented with fresh dewdrops that sparkled in the rising sunlight and the honking barks of the sea lions reverberated clearly across the calm water, confirming the rumours. Our anticipation heightened as we pushed off, drawn like magnets to the primeval sounds.

The Southern Gulf Islands are home to numerous marine mammals. Within these protected waters, otters, seals, the occasional harbour porpoise or pod of orcas can be seen. Sometimes a lone sea lion appears and we celebrate those occasions with joyful exclamations and attempts to get a photograph. Little did we know that herds of sea lions frequent the turbulent waters just to the east in the Georgia Strait.

Southern Gulf Islands of
Georgia Strait.

Saturna Island (top right), Mayne Island (far left) and North & South Pender Islands (bottom). The Belle Chain Islets stretch above the gap between Saturna and Mayne Islands.

 

Steller sea lions range in the North Pacific Ocean from the California Coast to Alaska, west through the Southern Bering Sea to Russia and south to Japan. There are two distinct breeding stocks of stellers - the Eastern group is divided from the Western group at 144° west. We see the Eastern species in the Gulf Islands.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) studies have shown that the western population has decreased by 80% since 1958. Researchers have suggested that the decline may be due to a combination of environmental changes and human disturbances such as fishing, timber harvest and tourism. In 1990, steller sea lions were placed on the endangered species list.

Research biologist Peter Olesuik, of the Pacific Biology Station in Nanaimo, confirmed the decline of the Western species but went on to say that the population of the Eastern species, which we see in the Gulf Islands, is stable and appears to be in no danger at this time. Regarded as the authority on pinnipeds in this area, Peter offers interesting insights to the steller sea lions seen around the Belle Chain Islets.

From September until May, male and female stellers separate and head to feeding grounds. Their range is extensive and they can travel great distances within a short period of time following prey of schooling fish such as hake (a relative to cod) and pollock. Georgia Strait supports a relatively stable food source so it is possible to see steller sea lions anytime between fall and spring. As night feeders, the stellers haul out during the day and Olesiuk has consistently seen sea lions on the Belle Chain Islets during February aerial surveys. Except for the odd female, these sea lions are all male.

During the summer the sea lions head to breeding grounds. Biologists are uncertain of exactly where the sea lions from the Gulf Islands go, although they do know that males return to the rookeries of their birth.

Usually California sea lions are seen amongst the stellers on the Belle Chain Islets. California sea lions range along the West Coast from British Columbia to Mexico where they breed during the summer. Believed to be opportunistic feeders, Californian sea lions feed both day and night on whatever is available.

As we paddled closer to the Belle Chain Islets we could distinguish at least a hundred individuals hauled out on the rocks. The dark brown coats of the smaller California sea lions were easy to spot amongst the light reddish brown coat of the stellers. The California sea lions were by far outnumbered by the stellers, but what they lacked in numbers they made up for in fanfare. Their honking barks, sounding like hound dogs with something stuck in their throats, were easily distinguished from the growls and grunts of the stellers.

We gave the islets a wide berth and set ourselves up several hundred feet away with the sun at our backs. The slant of the early morning light provided perfect photo opportunities and as we studied the sea lions basking on the rocks through our telephoto lenses we hardly noticed that the wind had picked up and was blowing us closer to the islets.

Suddenly half a dozen huge sea lions dove into the water and surfaced half way between our kayaks and the islets. Their growls took on a ferocity that would have scared us even if we weren't looking into jaws of menacing teeth.

Momentarily frozen somewhere between awe and panic my left brain/right brain argued whether to flee or photograph. Photo! Paddle! Photo! Paddle! I dashed off one shot, stuffed my camera between my knees and back paddled.

Whew!

When we had retreated a hundred feet, the troop was called off and the sinister teeth disappeared beneath the choppy waves.

Marine mammal regulations stipulate that boaters must not approach or exhibit behaviours that disturb marine mammals. "Disturb" is construed as anything that causes the animals to change their natural behaviour. I am glad there were no authorities around to witness our unintentional "disturbing behavior".

Although information on the subject is entirely anecdotal, Peter Olesiuk's observations seem to indicate that kayakers have a greater impact on steller sea lions than motorised craft. During his research, Peter has approached the hauled out animals within 20 to 30 feet by motorised craft without any reaction; but for example, when a research student attempted to count sea lions by kayak, his efforts were fruitless. Every time he approached the colony the animals went into the water. Sound familiar? This behaviour is curiously similar to reports of harbour seals (WaveLength, April/May 1996).

Peter suggests that when a motorised craft approaches sea lions, the animals are forewarned and can keep track of the boat's whereabouts and what it is doing. On the other hand, the stealthy approach of kayaks is probably unnerving because the sea lions don't know what they are doing or where they are going.

We observed the sea lions on the Belle Chain Islets for almost two hours, all the while carefully adjusting our distance from the mighty animals, lest we upset them again. Several rolls of film later we paddled on, suitably impressed by these mammals that share our ocean world.

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