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Article History

Received: 27 March 2025

Revised: 22 May 2025

Accepted: 5 June 2025

First Online: 20 June 2025

Declarations

:

: We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

: The present study was conducted in accordance with the institutional ethics at the Kinosaki Marine World, a member of Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA). The experimental design of this study adhered to the animal welfare regulations of JAZA and the guidelines for the treatment of animals in behavioral research and teaching by the Animal Behavior Society and Association for the Study of Animal Behavior (Buchanan et al. 2020), and was approved by the ethical management branch of the facility (October 18, 2023). Steller sea lions at the facility receive meticulous daily care, including necessary clinical veterinary treatment provided monthly, to ensure their health and well-being.