Two South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) pups have been born just days apart at Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna.
Born in early and mid-July, the pups are spending their first weeks of life with their mothers in a dedicated nursery area, where visitors can already observe them. Although they currently remain close to their mothers, they are expected to become increasingly independent as they begin exploring their surroundings over the coming weeks.
“It will still be a little while before the pups join the adult male, as we want to give the animals plenty of time and peace,” said Dr Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck, Director of Schönbrunn Zoo. “This is also a special time for our sea lion male. During the breeding season he eats very little, just as he would in the wild. For this reason, our training sessions and educational feeding presentations are currently taking place in an adapted format.”
Weighing around 9 kilograms at birth, the youngsters still have a long way to go before reaching the approximately 145 kilograms of an adult female—or the impressive 430 kilograms of their father.
Built for life in the water
The pups have already completed their first swimming attempts successfully. Unlike many mammals, South American sea lions are able to swim from birth.
“South American sea lions possess a range of fascinating adaptations that allow them to thrive both on land and at sea,” explained Rupert Kainradl, MSc, Head of the Zoological Department. “During dives they can close their ears and nostrils. Their blood and muscles, thanks to the protein myoglobin, are able to store particularly large amounts of oxygen, allowing them to remain underwater for much longer than humans.”
Research has also shown that the species can improve its breath-holding ability depending on its habitat. Animals living in southern Chile, where dives tend to be deeper and longer, are capable of storing proportionally more oxygen in their blood. The longest dive recorded for a South American sea lion during the study lasted 12 minutes.
