GALAPAGOS SEA LIONS AND FUR SEALS

Sea lions and fur seals are fin-footed mammals with amazing abilities in water. Their speed and agility in water contrasts to their clumsy waddling on land. Their agility in the water makes it possible for them to maneuver safely in pounding surf and along jagged rocks.

These warm-blooded mammals have adapted over the years to life in the water. Millions of years ago their ancestors were land creatures who hunted the coastline for food. Their adaptation, unlike other marine mammals much as whales and dolphins, did not make either sea lions or fur seals completely independent of the land as they spend a portion of their life lazing along the coast.

With their adaptation and graceful ability in water it seems incredible that baby fur seals need to learn to swim. Fur seals are born on land and are taught to swim by their mothers.

The young pup is picked up by the back of the neck and is carried into the water by its mother. At first the pup struggles against the surf, but by the time it is a few months old it easily breaks through the surf without problem.

Galapagos Sea Lions

The 'unofficial welcoming committee' of the Galapagos Islands is the sea lion. Their playful inquisitive nature, speed, agility on land, and bark quickly make them an island favorite. Sea lions live in large colonies. Adult males known as bulls are the head of the colony. Bulls grow to be up to 7 ft (2 m) in length and 800 lbs (363 kg). As males grow larger they fight to win dominance and for a territory including a harem of between 5 and 25 cows. Dominant bulls will fight off any intruders entering the territory.

Each cow in the harem has a single pup born a year after conception. The pups have a strong bond with their mother. The cow will nurture a pup for up to three years. In that time the cow and the pup will recognize each other's bark from the rest of the colony. The mother's will take the young pups with them into the water while nursing. When the pup is 2 - 3 weeks old the cow will mate again.

Within the colony sea lion pups live together in a rookery. Pups can be seen together napping, playing, and feeding. It is common to see one cow 'baby-sitting' a group of pups while the other cows go off to feed.

Galapagos sea lions are especially vulnerable to human activity. Their inquisitive and social nature makes them more likely to approach areas inhabited by humans, to come in contact with human waste and with fishing nets and hooks.

Sea lions can be seen all over the islands. Snorkeling and kayaking with the playful pups is often the highlight of a visit to the Galapagos.

Galapagos Fur Seals

The Galapagos fur seal is the smallest of the southern fur seal reaching a length of up to 5 feet at maturity. Their coats of dark gray brown to dusky black nearly lead these animals to extinction, as hunters targeted them. Pups are born with a smooth and silky skin to which fur develops around 6-months of age. This made them prime targets for hunters back in the 18th century.

These animals have survived from the brink of extinction, are the shiest creatures in the archipelago. Their numbers now compare in numbers with the sea lions.

During the day they hide from the hot equatorial sun in shelves or caves of the rocky lava cliffs of the western islands. At night they feed on squid and fish avoiding the sharks, which are their natural predator.