The South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens, is a large eared seal of the coasts and offshore islands of South America, ranging from Peru south to Cape Horn and north again to southern Brazil. It is the only living member of its genus and one of the most sexually dimorphic otariids: adult males carry a heavy mane and reach about 3 m and 350 kg, while females are about 2 m and 150 kg. The animals feed mainly on fish and cephalopods, hauling out on sand, gravel and pebble beaches to breed, where males defend territories and harems. The population is judged stable at around 265,000, though it is falling in the Falkland Islands and Argentine Patagonia and rising in Chile and Uruguay.
Facts
Classification
Population Trend System (Realm) ThreatsBiological Resource Use 1 Relationship to People Living or Extinct Conservation Status Body Size Band Activity Pattern Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Otaria, Taxa Source Wikipedia: South American sea lion
Source Animal Diversity Web: Otaria flavescens (South American sea lion)
In Biome
Marine, Biomes Source Wikipedia: South American sea lion
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Wikipedia: South American sea lionArticle text, range, where it livesQuote, Article text, range, where it lives
Notable breeding colonies include Lobos Island, Uruguay; Peninsula Valdes, Argentina; Beagle Channel, and the Falkland Islands.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Wikipedia: South American sea lionArticle text, rangeQuote, Article text, range
The South American sea lion is found along the coasts and offshore islands of South America, from Peru south to Cape Horn and then north to southern Brazil.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Wikipedia: South American sea lionArticle text, rangeQuote, Article text, range
The South American sea lion is found along the coasts and offshore islands of South America, from Peru south to Cape Horn and then north to southern Brazil.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Wikipedia: South American sea lionArticle text, range, where it livesQuote, Article text, range, where it lives
Notable breeding colonies include Lobos Island, Uruguay; Peninsula Valdes, Argentina; Beagle Channel, and the Falkland Islands.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: South American sea lion
Article text, sys
The South American sea lion is found along the coasts and offshore islands of South America, from Peru south to Cape Horn and then north to southern Brazil.
Article text, diet
They mainly feed on fish and cephalopods
Article text, ext
is a sea lion found on the western and southeastern coasts of South America
Population, trend
The overall population of sea lions is considered stable; the estimate is 265,000 animals.
Article text, hum
This species was exploited by Indigenous peoples of South America for millennia and by Europeans around the 16th century.
Article text, range
The South American sea lion is found along the coasts and offshore islands of South America, from Peru south to Cape Horn and then north to southern Brazil.
Article text, range, where it lives
Notable breeding colonies include Lobos Island, Uruguay; Peninsula Valdes, Argentina; Beagle Channel, and the Falkland Islands.
Description
Males measure up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in length with a weight of 350 kg (770 lb)
Conservation
The overall population of the species is considered stable, estimated at 265,000 animals.
Conservation, threats
They still are killed due to their habits of stealing fish and damaging fishing nets.
Child Taxon Of: Otaria, Lead, tax
It is the only extant member of the genus Otaria
In Biome: Marine, Article text, biome
The South American sea lion is found along the coasts and offshore islands of South America, from Peru south to Cape Horn and then north to southern Brazil.
In Group: Pinnipeds (Seals, Sea Lions and the Walrus), Article text, grp
is a sea lion found on the western and southeastern coasts of South America
View the Source2. Animal Diversity Web: Otaria flavescens (South American sea lion)
Animal Diversity WebKey Behaviors
diurnal Close active during the day
Conservation Status
CITES No special status
Child Taxon Of: Otariidae, Scientific Classification
Family Otariidae fur seals and sea lions
View the Source 3. SeaLifeBase: Otaria flavescens
SeaLifeBaseIUCN Red List StatusQuote, IUCN Red List Status
Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 02 November 2015
4. Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of Liverpool: AnAge entry for Otaria flavescens
Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of LiverpoolMaximum longevityQuote, Maximum longevity
One animal lived 29 years in captivity
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