SEA LIONS

The Sea Lions are part of the animal group called pinnipeds (fin-footed marine mammals) with the unique characteristic that they are only ones from this group with ears.  They are carnivores that feed only on fish; they live in groups on small islands or lonely rocks called lairs, but spend most of their time in the sea.  

During mating season, the male sea lions go in advance to the coasts to mark and establish their territory and fight amongst each other to have the largest number of females and thus carry on their genetic information.  After giving birth, females go back and forth from the sea to their lairs to hunt, eat and feed their offspring with their milk, and this goes on for one year when the babies are old enough to swim and fish by themselves..

The mating season begins in early June and lasts until late August, months during which the local authorities call off the swimming and scuba diving with sea lions for safety reasons, however it is possible to watch them on board of the different boats available.

Along Ruta 1, visitors can either swim with or watch the sea lions in Cabo Pulmo, when in Cabo San Lucas, in Los Cabos; when in La Paz, in Espiritu Santo Island and Todos Santos, and when in Loreto in Isla Coronado.

The sea lions are exposed to a number of threats like getting caught in fishing nets and drown, choke on plastic residues, decrease of food resources, amongst others; therefore it is necessary to reinforce and continue with the safety protocols and protection programs for the conservation of these mammals.