Galápagos sea lion
Zalophus wollebaeki
On Galápagos beaches, sea lions often rest near the trails. Watch quietly, keep park distances, and remember that curiosity is not an invitation. Sightings are not guaranteed.
Endangered (IUCN, 2015) means it is at very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.
Length
Males usually about 2 to 2.1 m (6.6 to 6.9 ft); females about 1.5 to 1.8 m (4.9 to 5.9 ft)
Weight
Males estimated up to about 200 kg (440 lb), with 158 kg (348 lb) the heaviest measured; females caring for pups 50 to 95 kg (110 to 210 lb), about 60 kg (132 lb) on average
Next to a person
A bull is about as long as a tall adult is tall and can weigh as much as two to three adults; a female is shorter than most adults and weighs about one adult or less
What it eats
Mainly sardines and other shelf fish, plus deeper-water lanternfish, bottom fish and small squid. Their menu changes in El Niño years.
Around people
Potentially dangerous, respect
How it lives
Galápagos sea lions feed by day and night in shelf waters and rest in groups on beaches and rocks. Males hold stretches of shoreline, which they defend loudly and aggressively, and most mating happens in the water. Breeding runs from May to February, depending on the island, and mothers may nurse their young for one to three years.
Where it goes
Galápagos sea lions are largely non-migratory. They stay in the archipelago all year, feeding in shelf waters and resting on its beaches and rocks.
We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.
Populations
Found only in the Galápagos, this close relative of the California sea lion is smaller, with less difference between males and females. It is very sensitive to El Niño, when its prey crashes, and numbers have fallen by roughly half over three generations. The colonies across the islands act as one endangered population, and the southeastern islands hold much of it.
Meet it respectfully
Galápagos National Park rules require a naturalist guide authorised by the park and at least 2 m (6 ft) from wildlife on land, snorkel and dive, even if the animals come closer. From a kayak, paddleboard or panga, keep at least 4 m. Swim and snorkel only at visitor sites your guide takes you to. Never touch, feed or chase them, do not use flash, and give territorial bulls and mothers with pups extra room.
Fun fact
Tap the bulb to light it up.
It is a separate species from the California sea lion; the two split about 2.3 million years ago.
Galápagos sea lions have been seen hunting together as a team, which was a first among seals and sea lions.
It is not a Galápagos fur seal, which is smaller, has denser fur and lives mostly in the west of the islands.
On rocky ground, Galápagos sea lions can gallop faster than a running person. They can rotate their hind flippers under the body.
Galápagos sea lion in the Ocean Atlas
Places we have researched where this animal is recorded. It is never guaranteed, and some places are for watching from the boat only.
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EcuadorSources for this page
- IUCN Red List, 2026
- Galapagos Conservation Trust, 2026
- Galápagos Conservancy, 2026
- Páez-Rosas et al., 2017
- Páez-Rosas et al., 2017, feeding strategies
- Wolf et al., 2007
- WoRMS, Zalophus wollebaeki
Facts checked 26 September 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.
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