A group of steller sea lions take a break on a buoy in the Puget Sound near Whidbey Island.

Steller sea lions live in the northern Pacific Ocean. These seals have attracted attention in recent decades due to significant declines in numbers over a large portion of their range in North America. They are listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Concerns persist about the impact of overfishing on their food sources.