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Project Noah Nature School
Zalophus wollebaeki
Galapagos Sea Lions are one of the most conspicuous and numerous marine mammals on the Galapagos Islands. Juveniles are coloured chestnut brown.Their bodies are streamline and they have well developed fore flippers which they use to propel themselves through the water. They can control their hind flippers independently which enables them to move around more effectively on land.
Galapagos Sea Lions are found on the islands of the Galapagos Archipelago. They spend a lot of their time swimming in the ocean but while on land they prefer sandy beaches and flat rocky areas that have plenty of shade and tidal pools.
This photo was taken on Española Island.
Spotted on Jan 31, 2008
Submitted on Jan 1, 2013
8 Comments
sleeping?
Hi Marie-France, I checked out that site and I think you are right; all those (very beautiful) photos show Sea Lions. Fur Seals are stubbier and have a shorter, pointed snout. they are also always dark brown, dry or wet; Sea Lions sometimes are, or appear to be, lighter when dry. Look at http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/558... for comparison.
To Darwin foundation
I refer to our exchange of comments on sea lions and fur seals, that would be great if you could look at my link : http://www.planetstillalive.com/america/...
I think all my "fur seals" in "mammals" could be in fact Seal Lions ...What do you think?
Many thanks for your help before I change the captions
You may wish to follow us at www.facebook.com.darwinfoundation.
To charles Darwin foundation
happy you like my picture! I took it in Espanola.
After spending a part of my night :-) looking at sea lions and fur seals, I agree my "fur seal" is in fact a Sea Lion and I am going to change the name. It is very difficult to see the difference and in Google images, most captions are not the good ones about that.
Thanks a lot for telling it to me.
Thanks for the lovely portrait of this lazy fellow, Marie-France! Looks more like a Sea Lion to me, though. They do also sit and lie on rocky shores. - Where on Galapagos did you take this picture?
Please consider adding this lovely spotting to the Galapagos mission at : http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/1478...
lovely spot!