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| Common Name: | Patagonian sea lions | Family: | Otariidae |
| Latin Name: | Otaria flavescens | Diet: | Carnivore |
| Type: | Mammal | Habitat: | Oceans |
| Native To: | South America | Social Unit: | Group |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least concern |
Patagonian sea lions at Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo has one female Patagonian sea lion and one male. The male sea lion is called Sofus. He was born in June 2005 at Aalborg Zoo in Denmark, and moved to Edinburgh in June 2008. The second female, Miranda, was born in June 1995 in Kristiansand Zoo.
Sofus will be fully grown when he is 5-6 years old. At that time he will develop the thick “mane” around his neck that is characteristic of male Patagonian sea lions.
Both sea lions are trained by the keepers using the positive reinforcement technique. This training technique allows the sea lions to move into different areas of the enclosure and perform certain behaviours that either show their natural adaptations or are used to enable the keepers and vets to check the animals safely and without using any form of restraint. This training also stimulates them physically and mentally.
The sea lions are trained to lie down, stay still, and hold their noses on a “target.” This allows them to be given medications such as eye drops if they are required. They can also open their mouth on command so that their teeth, tongue and gums can be checked. As with many animals, this can give a good indication of general health.
The sea lions are fed a mixture of different types of fish. The male is fed blue whiting (which is the same as the king and gentoo penguins are fed), herring and sprats. The female is also fed herring and sprats, but are not so keen on the blue whiting.
Both have differing personalities. Sofus, being the male, likes to think he is in charge—but can also be nervous at times. This is mostly due to his young age. He is very handsome and will be an impressive adult when he is fully grown. Miranda is a little more confident and likes to do things her way
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo’s sea lion pool is one of the oldest enclosures in the Zoo, and is the very first enclosure you see as you enter the Zoo.
Patagonian sea lions in the wild
Patagonian sea lions (Otaria flavescens) are widely distributed in the wild. They appear almost continuously on the coastline of the continent of South America, from Peru down to Cape Horn and up the east coast to southern Brazil. They can also be seen on the Falklands and Malvinas islands.
Patagonian sea lions are sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females have very different physical appearances. The males are much larger than the females, weighing 300-350 Kg (660 – 770 lbs) to the females’ 144 Kg (317 lbs.) The male sea lions’ very large heads and a thick manes give them the lion-like appearance that gave rise to their name.
In the wild, Patagonian sea lions eat a variety of fish, as well as squid and octopus. They sometimes hunt cooperatively when there are schools of fish, and are also known to hunt penguins, pelicans, and smaller South American fur seals. They have to watch out for orca and sharks, which prey on the sea lions.
During the mating season, mature male sea lions will fight one another to gather “harems” of females to mate with. The males with harems will stake out a territory and guard it, preventing females from leaving and other males from entering. They use barking, roaring, and other vocalisations to warn other males away from their territories, but if another male does intrude, they will fight.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, human hunting of Patagonian sea lions caused their numbers to drop. However, the species is now protected in most of its range, and its numbers in the wild are growing in most places it appears. However, environmental pollution remains a threat to sea lions. Because of the stable and even growing population of Patagonian sea lions, this species has been categorised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as a species Least Concern.
Breeding programme category: ESB
IUCN Red List category: Least Concern
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