California sea lion
Did you know?
How can you tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion? Seals have ear holes, while sea lions have ear flaps. They also “walk” on land using their fore-flippers, while seals scoot on their bellies.
Discover Sea lions
Meet our sea lions
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Eating
(and predators!)
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California sea lions love to eat – rockfish and anchovies, krill and squid.
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Sharks, orcas and humans are their three main predators.
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Calling
for dinner
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Sea lions gather in huge colonies on seaside rocks for breeding and birthing.
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Mothers have special calls to identify their pups to feed them.
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Diving, growling
and breath-holding
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Sea lions are very noisy – they bleat, growl, roar and bark to warn intruders, attract mates and more. Males defend their territory fiercely.
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They’re also very fast swimmers (up to 25 miles per hour underwater), and can dive for nearly 10 minutes without breathing.
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Protecting Marine Wildlife
THE THREAT: While sea lions are widespread, all marine mammals face human-caused threats: oil spills, chemical pollutants, entanglement in fishing debris and human harassment.
TAKE ACTION: You can help all sea animals by speaking up against off-shore oil drilling, and doing the right thing with plastic trash. Refuse single-use plastics altogether.
Marine Stories
’Twas the month before Christmas and inside Kids’ Zone, The meerkats received a surprise of their own; A stocking was hung on the rock wall with care, But the one on the ground was a different affair! The keepers had filled it with fat mealworm treats – (a favorite food for all meerkats to eat) … Continued
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s two new walruses Mitik and Pakak are adjusting well to their new home in Rocky Shores, even exploring different areas of the exhibit than other walruses before them. “They seem to be getting along well. They’re wrestling around a lot and practicing behaviors they will need as they grow up,” … Continued
Olympia, Washington native comes from South Sound career of nonprofit “servant leadership.” For Sarah Oliver, leadership is all about helping people achieve their mission. The Olympia, Washington native with a career in nonprofit leadership is bringing her people-focused expertise to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium as its new deputy director. The position oversees all … Continued