How to Use California sea lion in a Sentence

California sea lion

noun
  • Steller sea lions are larger and lighter in color than California sea lions.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
  • California sea lions don’t usually exceed more than 850 pounds and 7 feet in length.
    — Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Chonkers is also distinguished by his light fur, in contrast to the darker coloration of the California sea lions.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Young California sea lion pups face some of the highest risks when prey like anchovies and sardines are driven deeper or offshore during hot ocean events.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Staff are hoping to bring in California sea lions, which, similar to manatees, suffer from algae blooms.
    — Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
  • Chonkers is a Steller sea lion, which is a heftier variety of the species compared to his California sea lion counterparts.
    — Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The Mendocino Coast is a bustling place in terms of wildlife—think California sea lions, whales, and birds of all sorts, among other creatures.
    — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The Steller sea lion can grow significantly larger than the California sea lion.
    — ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Abundant wildlife, including migrating gray whales, harbor seals, and California sea lions, adds to year-round excitement.
    — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026
  • There's capybaras named after food, an Asian elephant named after Kirby Drive and California sea lions named for donors.
    — Peter Warren, Houston Chronicle, 8 May 2026
  • Photos and videos of Chonkers hopping onto docks and perching among his smaller California sea lion friends have garnered thousands of views on social media.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Towering over his peers, Chonkers is about three times the size of the California sea lions surrounding him and weighs a whopping 2,000 pounds.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Steller sea lions are significantly larger than California sea lions.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
  • On Thursday morning, visitors snapped photos as the Steller sea lion flopped on the pier, surrounded by dozens of much smaller California sea lions that call the docks home.
    — ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Currently, there are 23 California sea lions, 20 northern elephant seals, and two Pacific harbor seals in care.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 8 June 2026
  • With thicker necks and heavier, more robust bodies, Steller sea lions appear much more powerful — almost bear-like — compared to the slimmer, more streamlined California sea lion.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
  • In addition to the elephant seals, two California sea lions and one southern sea otter have tested positive in San Mateo County.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Earlier Reddit reactions captured the same sense of awe at the size difference between Chonkers and the smaller California sea lions sharing the platform.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The former California sea lion habitat, Northern Shores, opened in 1987 and had not been updated in nearly 40 years.
    — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Adult female California sea lions can grow up to 6 feet long and weigh as much as 240 pounds, according to NOAA Fisheries.
    — Liz Gray, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • In early 2014, the company purchased and began advertising an assortment of California sea lion skulls.
    — Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Authorities on the Peninsula helped rescue a wayward California sea lion that was found off busy Highway 101 on Friday.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 10 May 2026
  • Chonkers — a Steller sea lion roughly three times the size of the California sea lions that typically gather there — has drawn crowds of tourists, viral TikTok videos and a steady stream of nicknames since washing up at the pier.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
  • For the California sea lions — which can grow up to 700 pounds, per NOAA — harbor staff can gently guide them to one of the 42 wooden floats so boaters can go about their business.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Adult male Steller sea lions also don’t have a visible sagittal crest (the bump on the top of their heads) that is observed in adult male California sea lions, according to the Marine Mammal Center.
    — Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The 2,000-pound Steller sea lion is significantly larger than California sea lions, which typically weigh no more than 850 pounds and measure 7 feet in length.
    — Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Authorities and animal rescue workers saved a baby California sea lion earlier this month after the animal was found in a parking lot near Google’s headquarters, alone and suffering from malnutrition.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Steller sea lions are the largest of all eared seals and are distinct from their smaller counterparts, the California sea lions, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Sea lion pups among most vulnerable Young California sea lions are among the most vulnerable marine mammals during marine heat wave events, according to the National Park Service.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • While male Stellers can weigh up to 2,500 pounds, male California sea lions grow to weigh only about 600 to 850 pounds, according to the Marine Mammal Center.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'California sea lion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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