Zalophus californianus used to be hunted for their hides and for animal food. California sea lions are also used by the U.S. Navy for retrieval programs, including search and rescue and retrieval of military hardware. They are also used to patrol areas in search of threats. California sea lions are widely used in educational programs throughout the world because of their agility and trainability. They are charming ambassadors for their sea lion cousins. (Mate, 1978; Mate, 1979)