Barking, Dominance, and Territoriality in Male Sea Lions

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Abstract
Experiments in which male sea lions (Zalophus californianus) were removed and reintroduced into a social group demonstrate that barking by larger males restricts movement and barking by other smaller males. Barking and aggression were primarily directed toward animals of most nearly equal size. Two 6-year-olds seeking to establish and maintain territorial status used aggressive tactics similar to those observed in breeding males in the field.