Galápagos IslandsNo. 12 of 12Galápagos Sea Lion
the playful one
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The first to say welcome
This is a true story. In March 1535, Friar Tomás de Berlanga’s ship reached the Galápagos Islands by accident, pushed by the currents. There was almost no water left on board, so they sent a boat ashore to look for a spring. And what did the sailors find? “They found nothing but sea lions and tortoises”, Berlanga wrote to the King of Spain.
So sea lions were among the first inhabitants of Galápagos to welcome European visitors. Almost four centuries later, in 1925, a Norwegian expedition led by zoologist Alf Wollebæk studied these animals on San Cristóbal Island, and in 1953 they were given the scientific name Zalophus wollebaeki in his honour.
Today we know that the Galápagos sea lion lives only on these islands and is endangered. That is why caring for it is everyone’s job.
“They found nothing but sea lions and tortoises.”
Told by: True story of Galápagos (1535)
1.5–2.5 m
long, males
300+ m
deep, when it dives
10+ min
holding its breath
Changes colour
golden when dry, chocolate when wet
Galápagos Islands
It moves between land and sea: it rests on sandy beaches and rocky shores, and fishes in the shallow waters of the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
Fun facts
- Although Ecuadorians call it a “sea wolf”, it is really a sea lion.
- It is very curious and playful with divers.
