Photo by Steve B, Public Domain, via iNaturalist
Yinan Chen, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The sea lion uses a system of echolocation to navigate while under water and to find food. A mother leaves her newborn pup while she goes hunting. To relocate each other, they “bark” until they find one other. The mother then smells the pup to completely identify it as her own. While underwater, the sea lion can open its mouth to capture prey without swallowing water because of special muscles that close off the nostrils, larynx, and esophagus.
CLASS: Mammalia (mammals)
ORDER: Carnivora (meat-eating)
SUBORDER: Pinnipedia (fin-footed)
FAMILY: Otariidae (eared seals)
GENUS/SPECIES: Zalophus californianus
Size: Almost 8 ft (2.4 m)
Weight: Up to 860 lbs (390 kg)
Diet: Fish and mollusks
Habitat: Marine, in three temperate areas (west coast of North America, Galapagos Islands, and southern Sea of Japan)
This long-awaited Aquarium Guide includes beautiful pictures and reveals the incredible facts and design features that point to our amazing Creator.
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