The Australian Sea-lion is one of the rarest seals in the world, decimated by hunting in the 19th century as part of the thriving fur trade. Seal Bay Conservation Park is home to the third largest breeding colony of this species in the world, accounting for around five percent of the world’s total. The Australian Sea-lion is endangered with a population that is declining both internationally and nationally. The Seal Bay colony is a very special colony, and its protection is critical.
Australian Sea Lion Facts
Australian Sea-lions are one of the few ‘eared’ seal species, with external ears. Also known for their ability to ‘walk’ on land, using their front flippers to hold themselves up and their back flippers to help them ‘walk’ on land.
Females and young adults tend to have creamy-coloured bellies and a silver coloured back. Adult males or ‘bulls’ are dark brown all over with a creamy white-yellow mane around their heads and neck. Breeding season can get hectic with often intense and aggressive battles between large fully grown, 250-kilogram bulls battling it out to defend their territory. Males fight each other from a very young age to establish their individual positions in the colony hierarchy, it is not unusual to see juveniles play fighting on the beach and as they mature young sub-adult males start to get more serious in their challenge for territory.
The Australian Sea-lion is carnivorous, opportunistically feeding on fish, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and small crabs. With an incredible ability to dive between 80 – 275 metres, they generally fish alone, consuming up to 18 kilograms of fish over three days before returning to Seal Bay to rest.
Australian Sea-lions generally live in coastal habitats including exposed islands and reefs, rocky terrain, sandy beaches, and vegetated fore dunes and swales. They also use caves and deep cliff overhangs as haul-out sites for resting or breeding.
Where to find them
At the aptly named Seal Bay Conservation Park you can view the resident colony of Australian Sea-lions basking on the white sandy beach in between fishing trips to the continental shelf. As one of the rarest species in the world, Seal Bay is home to about five percent of the world's total population and is the third largest colony in existence. The beaches and bays of Seal Bay Conservation Park provide an ideal home for endangered Australian Sea-lions and a place to safely rest, play and raise their young. When is the best time to visit Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island? It is all year round, you will want to stop and watch them for hours frolicking on the beach, swimming back into shore, or lazing under the boardwalk just below you.
