Sea lions captivate audiences with their barking and playful energy. They differ from seals because they can walk on land using their powerful flippers. Furthermore, they are incredibly intelligent animals that can learn complex tasks. Consequently, aquariums and even military forces train them for specialized missions. Explore these fascinating details about the "Angels of the Sea."
Sea lions
Sea lions possess external ear flaps, which distinguishes them from true seals. Specifically, if you see small ears on the side of their head, you are definitely looking at a sea lion.
They can rotate their hind flippers forward to walk on land. Unlike seals that must wiggle on their bellies, sea lions gallop across the sand with surprising speed.
The U.S. Navy trains them to recover equipment from the ocean floor. Impressively, these “navy lions” use their excellent low-light vision to find objects that human divers cannot see.
They often float together in large groups called “rafts.” Because they need to rest, they pack themselves tightly on the surface of the water to nap safely.
A sea lion regulates its body temperature by sticking one flipper out of the water. This behavior, known as “sailing,” absorbs heat from the sun to warm their blood.
Their whiskers are incredibly sensitive to vibrations in the water. Therefore, they can detect the movement of swimming fish even in completely dark or murky environments.
They exhale all the air from their lungs before they dive. Uniquely, this prevents them from getting “the bends” when they plunge to depths of up to 900 feet.
Sea lions do not chew their food. Instead, they swallow fish whole or tear large prey into chunks by shaking their heads violently.
Steller sea lions are the largest of all sea lion species. Remarkably, a full-grown male can weigh over 2,000 pounds, which is three times the size of a California sea lion.
Mothers recognize their pups by their unique scent and call. Even in a crowded colony of thousands, a female can find her own baby within minutes.
Their milk contains about 35% fat to help pups grow quickly. Consequently, the babies build up a thick layer of blubber to survive in the cold ocean water.
They are the only sea mammals that can clap their flippers together. However, they only do this underwater to swim, whereas they do it on land mostly for applause in shows.
Adult males develop a large bony bump on their skulls. This “sagittal crest” grows as they age and helps females identify the most mature and dominant partners.
They can reach burst speeds of 25 miles per hour. Although they usually cruise slowly, they can outswim most predators when they feel threatened.
Finally, their teeth naturally turn black as they get older. While this looks unhealthy to humans, it is actually a normal bacterial pigment that protects their teeth from decay.
