With an ocean of fish to choose from, how do young sea lions decide how much to eat? Should they keep eating until they have met their daily energy needs or should they stop when their bellies are full? Do they eat more of less fatty fish and do they make up for missed meals when food isn't regularly available? How does meal size change during the year and with the age of the sea lions? Consortium scientists, led by Dr. David Rosen (UBC) are trying to answer these question.

Dr. Rosen is working with five captive yearling Steller sea lions to uncover the factors that determine the amount of fish that young sea lions eat. By setting up an experiment that uses the sea lion equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet, he is hoping to understand how changes in availability and type of fish affect their total food intake. The results will help scientists understand how changes in fish availability and species composition might be contributing to the decline of Steller sea lions in the North Pacific.