JAPANESE SEA LION

The species thrived on the open and flat, sandy beaches and rocky coves, whenever the need arose. The typical male Japanese Sea Lion weighed more than 550 kg and reached a length of around 2.5 meters. It was dark gray in color and visibly larger than their Californian counterparts. The females grew to a length of around 1.6 meters and flaunted a visibly lighter shade of gray or brown, than the males. These mammals were fondly referred to as 'black sea lions', even though they were not melanistic or high in melanin concentration. The Japanese Sea Lion was extensively hunted for its meat and blubber or fat. The blubber was a much sort after source of fat and oil. The oil extracted from the organs and skin of the Japanese Sea Lion was also used as an important ingredient in oriental medicine. Its whiskers made good pipe cleaners, while the skin generated bags and apparel. Commercial harvesting of the Japanese Sea Lion also resulted in the mammal being sought for circus antics.

Research reveals that more than 3,000 Japanese Sea Lions were harvested at the turn of the 20th century. Overfishing brought the numbers down to a few dozens by the 1930s, but commercial harvesting only ceased when the species became extinct in the 1940s. Marine biologists also blame the submarine warfare during World War II for the destruction of their natural habitat. Records reveal that the last of the mammals were sighted by Korean coast guards in the 1950s. Maine biologists are still investigating a number of cryptid sightings on record, all through the 1960s and 1970s. In 1974, the last juvenile was captured off the coast of Rebun Island, Hokkaido. Today, stuffed specimens of Japanese Sea Lions can be observed at the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, The British Museum and various museums across the Japanese Archipelago. In 1990, the species was pronounced 'extinct' on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

The numerous efforts made to reintroduce sea lions to the Sea of Japan include those made by:

    The South Korean Ministry of Environment
    The National Institute of Environmental Research