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Purple Striped JellyfishA purple striped jellyfish -- Pelagia panopyra - possesses very potent stingers. This purple striped jellyfish is just one example of the many types of jellies that mysteriously appear and vanish throughout the year in the Sanctuary. |
Sea LionsThe most abundant pinniped (seals and sea lions) in the Sanctuary is the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). Over 80,000 California sea lions live and breed in the Channel Islands. Sea lions live in herds and can weigh up to 700 pounds! One will usually see these playful mammals basking in the sun on shore or playing with other sea lions underwater. |
 What a Seal Lion souds like:
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Humpback WhalesHumpback whales engage in cooperative lunge feeding on krill-tiny crustaceans abundant over Cordell Bank. These baleen whales filter the tiny shrimp-like animals from the water column in big mouthfuls. |
Whale Activity Pages: http://library.thinkquest.org/3926/coloring.html
Hear a humpback & see pics: http://library.thinkquest.org/3926/coloring.html
The Green Sea TurtleThe green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as honu, is the most common sea turtle in Hawaiian waters. It feeds on marine plants in shallow coastal waters throughout the islands and can grow to 200 pounds or more. Sea turtles hold an important role in Hawaiian culture and were prominently represented in ancient Hawaiian mythology and petroglyphs. |
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The Great White Shark
Not as big as the dinosaurs, but possibly as old, sharks first appeared 450 million years ago! As the largest predatory fish in the ocean, great white sharks are the top predators of the sea. Shortly after the release of “Jaws,” long behold, sharks had gotten a bad reputation as fearful, harmful, man-eating creatures. Of course, this concept is totally incorrect, as shark attacks on humans are rare.
