Galápagos sea lion facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Galápagos sea lion

Female

Male
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Clade:	Pinnipedia
Family:	Otariidae
Genus:	Zalophus
Species:	Z. wollebaeki
Binomial name
*Zalophus wollebaeki* Sivertsen, 1953

Galápagos sea lion range
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A female Galápagos sea lion with her pup.

A Galápagos sea lion swimming gracefully underwater.

The Galápagos sea lion (scientific name: Zalophus wollebaeki) is a special type of sea lion. These amazing animals live and raise their young mainly on the Galápagos Islands. You can also find smaller groups on Isla de la Plata in Ecuador. They are known for being the smallest sea lion species in the world.

Discovering the Galápagos Sea Lion

Scientists first described the Galápagos sea lion in 1953. For a while, some thought it was a type of California sea lion. However, new studies of their DNA showed they are a unique species. This means they are different enough to have their own special classification. They belong to a group of animals called Otariidae, which includes all eared seals. Their specific group, or genus, is Zalophus.

How to Spot a Galápagos Sea Lion

Galápagos sea lions are a bit smaller than their relatives, the California sea lions. They can be from 1.5 to 2.5 meters (5 to 8 feet) long. Their weight ranges from 50 to 400 kilograms (110 to 880 pounds). Males are usually larger and heavier than females.

Differences Between Males and Females

You can often tell males and females apart by their looks. Males have thicker necks, chests, and shoulders. Females have a more slender neck and a thicker body. When male sea lions grow up, a small bump appears on their forehead. This bump is called a sagittal crest. Females and young sea lions do not have this bump.

Their Unique Features

Both male and female sea lions have a pointy nose with whiskers. Their snouts are long and narrow. Young pups look a lot like puppies! A key feature of sea lions is their visible outer ears, called pinnae. This helps tell them apart from seals, which have tiny ear holes.

Their front flippers have short fur near the wrist. The rest of their flippers are covered in tough, black skin. These flippers are very strong. They help the sea lions move quickly and change direction easily in the water. On land, they might seem clumsy, but in the ocean, they are incredibly graceful swimmers.

Colors and Growing Up

When wet, Galápagos sea lions look dark brown. But when they dry, their color can change. Females are often lighter brown than males. Pups are born with soft, brownish-black fur. This fur slowly turns brown in their first five months. Then, they shed this baby fur and grow their adult coat.

Galápagos sea lions become adults around 4 to 5 years old. They can live for about 15 to 24 years.

Where Do Galápagos Sea Lions Live?

You can find Galápagos sea lions on all the main islands of the Galápagos Islands. They also live on many smaller islands nearby. A large number of them, though less than a quarter, live on San Cristobal Island.

These sea lions have also made their home on Isla de la Plata, which is off the coast of mainland Ecuador. They have been seen along the coast of Ecuador, stretching north to Isla Gorgona in Colombia. There have even been sightings far away on Isla del Coco, southwest of Costa Rica. However, the sea lions seen at Isla del Coco are usually just visitors, not permanent residents.

What Do Galápagos Sea Lions Eat?

Galápagos sea lions are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. Their favorite food is sardines. They also enjoy other sea creatures like squid, octopus, and different types of fish, including lanternfish. Because they mostly eat fish, they are called piscivores.

Hunting for Food

These sea lions are skilled hunters. They sometimes travel 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) from the coast to find food. This can take several days. While hunting in the open ocean, they might encounter their main predators: sharks and killer whales. It's common to see sea lions with scars from these encounters.

Impact of El Niño

Sometimes, a natural event called El Niño happens. During El Niño, ocean temperatures in the Pacific change. This causes sardine populations to disappear or move away. When this happens, sea lions must dive deeper to find other fish like lanternfish. Less food means fewer sea lion pups survive, and the population can shrink.

Clever Hunters

Galápagos sea lions are very smart. They have learned to get food from fishing boats. They might scavenge for scraps or even use the boats' bright lights to help them hunt fish. This shows how adaptable they are!

Social Life and Sea Lion Leaders

Galápagos sea lions are very curious and social animals. They often come close to places where humans live. This can sometimes lead to problems with trash or fishing gear. They live on many types of coastlines, from sandy beaches to rocky cliffs. To stay cool, they rest under plants, rocks, or cliffs during the day.

Talking Like Sea Lions

Sea lions are quite noisy! Adult males make loud, repeated barks. Females and young sea lions do not bark like this, but pups of both sexes growl. A mother sea lion can recognize her pup's unique bark. She can find her baby even in a big crowd of barking sea lions.

Male Sea Lion Challenges

On land, sea lions gather in groups called colonies. The biggest adult males, called bulls, lead these colonies. A dominant bull can be up to 2 meters (7 feet) long and weigh 360 kilograms (800 pounds). These strong males fight to control a group of 5 to 25 females, called a harem, and the area around it.

The dominant bull patrols his territory, barking loudly to show it's his. He defends his area fiercely against other adult males. These fights can be intense. Males stretch their necks and bark to challenge each other. If that doesn't work, they push and bite each other's necks. Their thick necks usually protect them from serious harm. However, many males have scars from these battles.

A dominant bull usually holds his territory for only a few months. He cannot eat much while defending his area, so he eventually gets tired. Then, a stronger, well-fed male takes over. The losing male is chased away by the new leader.

Bachelor Groups

Since only one male leads each harem, many other males are left without a territory. These "bachelor" males often gather peacefully in their own groups. You can find one famous bachelor colony on the cliffs of South Plaza Island in the Galápagos.

The Galápagos Sea Lion Life Cycle

A Galápagos sea lion cooling down in a unique pose.

Galápagos sea lions become mature and ready to have pups around 4 to 5 years old. They can live for about 15 to 24 years. Breeding happens from May through January. Because this season is so long, you can find pups in the colonies all year round.

Raising Pups

Each female in a harem usually has one pup about a year after mating. For the first week, the mother stays with her pup constantly. Then, she returns to the ocean to find food. Just a week later, the pup will follow her into the water and start learning to swim. When the pup is two to three weeks old, the mother will mate again.

Mothers continue to nurse their pups for a long time, sometimes up to three years. During this time, the mother and pup learn to recognize each other's unique barks. Young pups often stay together in groups called rookeries. They nap, play, and even feed together. It's common to see one mother "babysitting" a group of pups while other mothers go off to hunt.

Protecting Galápagos Sea Lions

A Galápagos sea lion near Isla Santiago.

Most Galápagos sea lions live in protected areas. The islands are part of an Ecuadorian national park and a marine reserve. Strict rules help protect all wildlife from being disturbed by tourists. The sea lion population changes, usually between 20,000 and 50,000 animals.

Main Threats

One big threat is El Niño events. When ocean temperatures warm, the fish they eat become scarce. This can lead to many sea lions dying or not being able to have pups. Sharks and killer whales are also natural predators. While adult sea lions are strong, pups are easy targets.

Human Impact

Human activities also pose risks. Because sea lions are curious, they sometimes get too close to human areas. This can expose them to trash, fishing nets, and hooks. As more people visit or live near the islands, there's a higher chance of accidents or diseases spreading.

Sea lions have learned to stay near fishing boats to catch fish easily. However, this puts them in danger from boats and getting tangled in nets. They can also be affected indirectly. For example, stray dogs introduced by humans have formed packs and attacked sea lions. Also, pesticides like DDT, used in some tropical countries, can build up in the food chain and harm sea lion pups.

From 2008 to 2012, there was an increase in deaths from diseases. Galápagos sea lions can get diseases like canine distemper virus and a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. Scientists are working to understand and protect these amazing creatures.