Galápagos Sea Lion: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Sea Mammals · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. Of all the sea lions in the world, this island dweller is the smallest species.
2. Teamwork at sea: a group of these sea lions was filmed herding yellowfin tuna into a rocky inlet, sometimes right onto land.
3. From day one, a mother knows her pup's voice. She can pick out its bark from a crowd of 30 or more noisy sea lions.
4. Pups nap and play together in a nursery. Often one mother stays to babysit the group while the others head off to feed.
5. A dominant male patrols his stretch of coast by swimming along it, often lifting his head out of the water to bark that it is his.

The quiz

1. How does the Galápagos sea lion compare with other sea lion species?

• It is the biggest
• It is the smallest (correct)
• It is the only one with fur
• It is the only one that cannot bark

It is the smallest sea lion species.

2. Which fish were these sea lions filmed herding together as a team?

• Salmon
• Goldfish
• Yellowfin tuna (correct)
• Trout

They were filmed pack hunting yellowfin tuna in a rocky inlet.

3. How does a mother find her pup in a noisy crowd?

• She recognises its bark (correct)
• She looks for a mark she made
• She waits for it at sea
• She follows its footprints

She knows her pup's bark from birth, even among 30 or more sea lions.

4. What does one mother often do while the other mothers go to feed?

• She sleeps far away
• She guards the fishing boats
• She leads the males
• She babysits a group of pups (correct)

One cow often babysits a group of pups while the others go off to feed.

5. How does a dominant male show that a stretch of coast is his?

• He builds a nest of seaweed
• He swims along it and barks with his head out of the water (correct)
• He paints the rocks with mud
• He stays perfectly silent

While patrolling, he often lifts his head and barks to show ownership.

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