California sea lions are are sexually dimorphic (2 distinct gender forms); Males are larger and darker and have a crest on the forehead. California sea lions are dark, chestnut brown. They have thick fur and external ear flaps. The weight of their bodies can be supported by front flippers that are large, furless, and without claws.

California sea lions are not threatened in the wild and they are protected by the United States Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended. Their range extends south from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. There is also a relatively small population in the Galapagos Islands.

Listed as of "least concern" on the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)

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