Marine Mammals

Marine mammals live in or by the sea, they breathe air, are warm-blooded, produce milk for their young, and give birth to live offspring instead of laying eggs. They depend on the ocean to live healthy, productive lives. 

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Beaches are an important habitat for Southern California’s marine mammals. Seals and sea lions use beaches to haul out for a variety of reasons: resting, molting, breeding, giving birth or just to warm themselves in the sun.

 

Although infrequently seen in Southern California today, sea otters historically inhabited this region. These mammals spend most of their time in the water, often foraging and frolicking in kelp forests.