Monday, December 14, 2009

Dragon of the Month: Sea Lion

Sea Lion
Cetusidus leodracus

Size: 15'
Recognition: Long serpentine body with fin appendages. Broad fin and mane. Markings vary by region.
Habitat: Northern Atlantic Oceans and waterways.
Classification: Draco/Orcadraciforme/Cetusidae
/Cetusidus/c. leodracus




The Sea Lion Dragon is a predatory sea orc that makes its habitat in the northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Hunting in packs of up to a dozen animals the Sea Lion has been a known creature to fishermen and sailors for centuries. Existing in the Cetusidae family the Sea Lion shares many of the habits of its cousins the Sea Tigers and Sea Leopards.
Mainly hunting on fish and small sea mammals the Sea lions spend most of the winter and early spring months as far south as the coast of Spain and The United States where the females will lay eggs and tend to the young. In the summer months the packs of Sea Lions will migrate north to Greenland, Norway and Alaska to follow the food supply. Today the populations of the Sea Lions have diminished as their native nesting shores have been developed, but many can still be seen in the summer months off the coast of Maine and Washington, where the Sea Lion tourism business is booming.
The historic knowledge of the Sea Lion has been fairly well documented. In the classical period the Sea Lion was discovered by sailors encountering the animals on their long voyages into Europe. It was believed that a lost sailor could follow the Sea Lions to a safe harbor. This almost mystical understanding of the Sea Lion (and all members of the Cetusidae family) in nautical navigation led to the naming of a constellation after the animals. The Cetus Constellation.

below: A variety of historic depictions of the Sea Lion.




































To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.com/Dracopedia


©2009William O'Connor/William O'Connor Studios/Dracopedia:A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World/The Dracopedia Project. All rights reserved.

3 comments: