California Sea Lion haulout counts in British Columbia collected from 1971 through 2021. The dataset includes counts from dedicated aerial surveys in 1985 and 2023, as well as opportunistic observations from Steller Sea Lion surveys. Fisheries and Oceans Canada compiled the data, which replaces a previous dataset limited to the 2016/2017 season.
Use Cases
- Analyze population trends over time based on counts spanning 1971 to 2021
- Study seasonal migration patterns based on arrival (August–October) and departure (April–May) periods
- Monitor shifts in distribution based on surveys of historically occupied rookeries and haul-out sites
- Compare dedicated survey results with opportunistic observation data
Strengths
- Long-term temporal coverage spanning 50 years from 1971 to 2021
- Includes data from multiple survey methods: dedicated aerial surveys and opportunistic counts
- Replaces and expands upon a previous dataset limited to a single season
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
- Recent surveys were restricted to southern British Columbia, limiting northern coverage
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
Provenance
- Source
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- Collection Method
- Dedicated over-winter aerial surveys and opportunistic counts from Steller Sea Lion surveys
- Time Range
- 1971–2021
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-05-08 13:00:53.693594; freshness should be verified
- Geography
- British Columbia, Canada (primarily southern coastal areas)