Sea Lion Facts
// July 19th, 2010 // View Comments // Cancun / Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Sea Life, Vallarta
Everyone loves sea lions, aside from being so handsome, they seem to have a great sense of humour, always making us laugh. So, what do you know about sea lions? Let’s have a look at some facts….
–Sea lions are found all over the world, from the Arctic to New Zealand, usually found along rocky coasts where there are rich food sources such as sardines, herring, capelin and squid.
–Sea lions can be distinguished from seals by their visible external ear flaps.
–Sea lions are “pinnipeds’, meaning they have “winged feet”.
–Sea lions are amphibious, they live on both land and water.
–Sea lions are “marine mammals”, meaning they do not lay eggs but do in fact carry and give birth to their young. Males are “bulls”, females are “cows” and babies are called “pups”.
–Sea lions have a lifespan of 10-15 years in the wild, but in a healthy zoological environment can live 25-35 years.
–Sea lion mamas gestate for 10-12 months. Their pups are born on land and will nurse from their mother from 4-12 months.
–Sea lions are warm blooded, covered in a layer of fat to protect them from cold temperatures.
–Sea lions breathe air, but can remain under water for up to 40 minutes if hunting for food, accomplished by squeezing their nostrils shut tight.
–Sea lions are very communal, usually living in large colonies of up to 1000, with smaller communities appearing within the group.
–Sea lions aren’t lazy, but they sure do love to hang around on the rocks and bask in the sun.
–Sea lions are intelligent and easy to train, the military has been training them for years for rescue operations in the sea.
–The biggest dangers to sea lions are fishermen, pollution and climate change. Their predators are killer whales and sharks, though they can swim faster than both they can be taken by surprise.
Dolphin Discovery invites you to get up close and personal with these sweet creatures, our sea lion friends can be found in the following destinations:
Get a hug, a fishy kiss and you will most definitely walk away smiling from your Sea Lion Encounter with Dolphin Discovery!
Please remember to keep our oceans and beaches clean, plastic bags, six-pack rings, garbage of all kinds is very damaging to the sea lions and their environment. Do what you can to protect our precious marine life, go for a walk on the beach and pick up trash, educate your children, spread the word that if we each do our small part, all earth’s creatures will have a brighter future.
