|
|
|
|
|
belong to the family of
Otariidae or Eared Seals. Worldwide exist some
14 species with 2 species, the Galapagos Sea
Lion and Galapagos Fur Seal residing and breeding
in those islands and 2 other species occurring accidentally.
All members of this family have small external ears and
long flexible necks. They are related to True Seals and
Walruses with which they make the suborder of Pinnipedia and like them adapted
almost entirely to life in
water and only coming ashore to relax, breed and rear their young. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The
Galapagos Sea Lion (female and its pup)
is a sub-specie of the Californian Sea Lion which
colonized the islands in the past arriving from the North
Pacific Coast. Apart from Galapagos they are
also found in small numbers at Isla de la Plata and
around Machalilla National Park. |
|
|
|
|
Seals and Sea
Lions originated from land mammals and over millions of years evolved
into marine beings. Their limbs therefore adapted into flippers
which gives them good propulsion in the water and enables them to take
sharp turns which helps in catching of fish, their main diet.
They still are able to support themselves on their limbs and walk on
land although somehow awkwardly.
|
|
|
|
| Sea Lions
( underwater photo taken by Rolf Sangkohl)
are
very agile swimmers with a streamlined body and
flippers for propulsion. In the Galapagos young and
female sea lions are often very playful, coming up to
divers and showing off their aquatic abilities. The
larger males however are guarding their territories and if a
swimmer comes to close is chased away by the bulls. In
some occasions where people did not heed the warning
barking of the charging bulls and did not turn back they
were bitten by them and they sure know how to bite. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
There is a large
difference in the size of the sexes. Males can
reach 2m in height (some 3m are also known in fur seal bulls)
and weigh up to 100kg. Females are only of half that size.
Females Sea Lions become sexually mature at the age of
5 and give birth to one pup which she nurses for the first
half year. Then the pup learns to fish for itself but still
continues to take milk from their mothers. The males or bulls
establish harems with sometimes up to 30 females. They
are therefore very territorial defending a stretch of shore
against other males. They do that towards the sea whereas fur
seal males defend the territory from the land. |
|
|
 |
|
|
The Galapagos
Fur Seal (pup and adult taken at Puerta Egas) in contrast
to the sea lion arrived from the south and settled on the
islands. They are nocturnal animals spending most of
the daytime sleeping and resting in shady crevices and caves
of the lava shores. |
|
|
|
|
The Galapagos Fur Seals
were extensively hunted for their luxuriant and thick fur.
American sealers in the 19th century and early 20th century
decimated considerably their numbers by taking more 20 000
pelts in that time period. Probably only their habits
of sleeping at daytime in caves and other inaccessible places
and being only active at night prevented them from extinction. Presently after
protection was implemented in 1940,
they have recovered their numbers and are not endangered
anymore. The sea lion was hunted in much smaller numbers and
was never in danger. Their actual numbers are believed to be
around 50 000 individuals. |
|
|
|
ECUADORIAN SPECIES : |
| |
|
Name |
Scientific |
Location |
|
|
|
Galapagos Sea Lion |
Zalophus
californianus |
Galapagos
& Coast |
|
Galapagos Fur Seal |
Arctocephalus galapagoensis |
Galapagos |
|
South
American Sea Lion |
Otaria
byronia |
Galapagos
& Coast |
| South
American Fur Seal |
Arctocephalus australis |
Coast |
|
