Two South American Sea Lion Pups Make Splashing Debut At Vienna Zoo

Two South American sea lion pups have been born at Schönbrunn Zoo, with one arriving in early July and the other in mid-July.

The two young sea lions are already making their presence known with frequent loud cries. They are currently staying with their mothers in the specially designed mother-and-pup area of the seal enclosure, where visitors can easily see them.

The pups will remain separated from the male sea lion for now to give the animals time and peace. Their first swimming attempts have already begun, as South American sea lions can swim from birth.

“It will be a while before they join the male, as we want to give the animals plenty of time and peace. It’s also a special time for our male sea lion. During the mating season, he hardly eats anything. This is also the case in the wild. Therefore, training and the narrated feedings are currently taking place in an adapted format,” Zoo Director Dr. Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck said.

The pups currently weigh around nine kilograms and still have a long way to go before reaching the size of their mothers, which can weigh about 145 kilograms, or their fathers, which can weigh around 430 kilograms.

South American sea lions have adaptations that allow them to live in and around the ocean. They can close their ears and nostrils while diving, and their blood and muscles store oxygen with the help of the protein myoglobin.