Sea Lion or Seal?
Galapagos sea lions are not afraid of people. These sea lions have few predators because of their isolated location. The only predators they have are sharks, killer whales, and dogs. So, like most Galapagos animals, they have no reason to fear people.
Galapagos sea lions are among the few marine mammals resident in the Galapagos. Most other marine mammals in the Galapagos are migratory and therefore cannot be considered residents. Only two species of seals (including the Galapagos sea line), two species of whales, and two species of dolphins are true Galapagos residents.
Young sea lions have no reason to be territorial or aggressive. Even at 12 to 24 months, they are only partially independent; they will continue to nurse until their mother has another pup. Even then, she may continue to nurse the older pup. They don't mature until they are about four to five years old.
Galapagos sea lions are vulnerable. There are around 20,000 to 50,000 Galapagos sea lions in the archipelago. While this may seem substantial, because they are endemic, they are at a higher risk of endangerment. They are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Infectious diseases and the effects of El Nino storms • Why Does El Niño Create More Intense Storms? are a constant threat.
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