Fossil bones of Hooker's sea lions in New Zealand caves

1992/01/01 by Trevor H. Worthy, Worthy, T. H.
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Cephalopods and Marine Biology #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Marine animal studies overview

paper · pdf · doi:10.26021/410

openalex publication_date 1992/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01

Abstract

Worthy, T.H. (1992). Fossil bones of Hooker's sea lions in New Zealand caves. New Zealand Natural Sciences 19: 31-39. Fossil seal bones are recorded from caves, up to 5 km inland, in northwest Nelson, New Zealand. All specifically identifiable bones are sea lion Phocarctos hookeri. Most of the fossils appear to have been from male animals. Radiocarbon dating of bone collagen indicates one fossil was about 10 OOO years old, and another about 3 OOO years old. These dates and the site characteristics for the other fossils suggest most are late glacial to Holocene in age.

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