Galapagos Sea Lion

The Galapagos sea lion is a species that primarily breeds in the Galapagos Islands, although some breeding colonies also occur on Isla de la Plata just off of mainland Ecuador. They belong to the family of eared seals and are one of two varieties of seals found in the Galapagos. They have external ear pinnae. They are not "genuine" seals since they can turn their rear flipper beneath their pelvic girdle and don't have the long, finger-like claws that are distinctive to true seals. Their pelvic girdle's structure enables them to "gallop" across the land at speeds that are faster than those of a runner on rocky terrain.

Males can weigh up to four times as much as females, indicating a significant degree of sexual dimorphism. The males may be easily distinguished from the ladies because of a noticeable hump on their forehead. Each individual in this species has brown or grey fur, with females often being a lighter shade than males and young being a chestnut brown color. Since sardines are the sea lions' primary prey, their sleek and smooth bodies make them effective predators. They can submerge for more than ten minutes and dive to depths of up to roughly 600 m. They are generally curious and spend a lot of time playing or relaxing on beaches.