Editing Sea lion (section)

=== Breeding methods and habits ===
[[File:Two sea lions on the beach of Otago Peninsula.jpg|thumb|Two sea lions on the beach of Otago Peninsula, New Zealand]]
Sea lions, with three groups of pinnipeds, have multiple breeding methods and habits over their families but they remain relatively universal. Otariids, or eared sea lions, raise their young, mate, and rest in more earthly land or ice habitats. Their abundance and haul-out behavior have a direct effect on their on land breeding activity. Their seasonal abundance trend correlates with their breeding period between the austral summer of January to March. Their rookeries populate with newborn pups as well as male and female otariids that remain to defend their territories. At the end of the breeding period males disseminate for food and rest while females remain for nurturing. Other points in the year consist of a mix of ages and genders in the rookeries with haul-out patterns varying monthly.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5232329.pdf|title = Annual, seasonal and daily variation in the abundance of the South American sea lion ''Otaria flavescens'' in two breeding colonies in northern Chile|last = Sepúlveda|first = Maritza|date = August 2015|journal = Revista de Biologia Marina y Oceanografia|doi = 10.4067/S0718-19572015000300001|issue = 2|volume = 50|pages = 205–220|doi-access = free|archive-date = 14 February 2024|access-date = 14 February 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240214132913/https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5232329.pdf|url-status = live}}</ref>

Steller sea lions, living an average of 15 to 20 years, begin their breeding season when adult males establish territories along the rookeries in early May. Male sea lions reach sexual maturity from ages 5 to 7 and do not become territorial until around 9 to 13 years of age. The females arrive in late May bringing in an increase of territorial defense through fighting and boundary displays. After a week births consist most usually of one pup with a perinatal period of 3 to 13 days.

Steller sea lions have exhibited multiple competitive strategies for reproductive success. Sea lion mating is often polygamous as males usually mate with different females to increase fitness and success, leaving some males to not find a mate at all. Polygamous males rarely provide parental care towards the pup. Strategies used to monopolize females include the resource-defense polygyny, or occupying important female resources. This involves occupying and defending a territory with resources or features attractive to females during sexually receptive periods. Some of these factors may include pupping habitat and access to water. Other techniques include potentially limiting access of other males to females.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = A long-term study reveals multiple reproductive behavior strategies among territorial adult male Steller sea lions (''Eumetopias jubatus'')|last1 = Parker|first1 = Pamela|date = 20 March 2014|journal = Canadian Journal of Zoology|doi = 10.1139/cjz-2013-0099|issue = 5|volume = 92|pages = 405–415|last2 = Maniscalco|first2 = John, M.}}</ref>