About our Sea Lions

WEM is home to three talented and crowd-loving California sea lions. Joining the WEM family in October 2004, Pablo, Clara and Kelpie entertain and educate guests, providing you with the opportunity to learn more about these amazing creatures.

About our sea lions:

  • all three sea lions were born in captivity in Scotland - Clara and Pablo were born at the Black Pool Zoo and Kelpie was born at the Edinburgh Zoo
  • they were transferred from Blair Drummond Safari Park in Sterling, Scotland on October 22, 2004
  • Pablo was born in June 1996 and weighs approximately 540 lbs
  • Clara and Kelpie were both born in June 1994 and weigh approximately 200 lbs each

General information about California sea lions:

Please visit www.tmmc.org/learning/education/pinnipeds/casealion.asp for more information about sea lions.

California Sea Lion (Zalophus Californianus)

Distribution
The California sea lion is found in temperate to colder waters along the pacific coast. They can be found around Vancouver Island, Canada, down to Baja California, Mexico. Sea lions are adapted to life on land as well as in the water. They must come onto land to breed and do so mainly on offshore islands.

Description
There is extreme sexual dimorphism in the size of adult California sea lions. An average male measures approximately 2.25 meters (8 feet) and weighs approximately 300 kg (660 lbs). Females are much smaller, averaging 1.8 meters (6 feet) and weighing approximately 100 kg (220 lbs). Colour also ranges from chocolate brown in males to a lighter, golden brown in females. California sea lions are known as pinnipeds, meaning winged or feather-footed mammals as they use their flippers for locomotion. In the water they use their front flippers for propulsion while their hind flippers are used for steering. On land their rear flippers are rotated forward enabling the sea lion to walk. Overall, sea lions have a streamlined body shape with a smooth coat of fur.

Diet and Feeding
Sea lions are opportunistic feeders eating 5 to 8 per cent of their body weight daily. They feed on fish and cephalopods such as squid, cuttlefish and octopus. Deep diving for prey is customary with average dive times ranging between 5 and 7 minutes; however sea lions can stay under water for a maximum of 24 minutes and dive to depths of 600 meters (1,968 feet).

Natural History
California sea lions are social animals existing in gregarious groups. In the spring they gather at breeding areas called rookeries. Males stake out and defend territories and harems of females. Shortly after the females arrive on shore they give birth to a single pup. The precocious pups appear wide-eyed and alert and are able to move around a few minutes after birth. The mother begins to nuzzle the pup and the two begin to call to one another to create an identifying vocal bond. These calls help the mother and pup find each other in the crowded rookeries. Female California sea lions become reproductively mature at age three while males mature at age five. The average life span of a California sea lion is 13 to 25 years.