Bahamas Sea Lion Facts

Bahamas Sea Lions

When you travel out to the Bahamas, you should not miss your chance to come face to face with two of the most amazing of sea creatures: the bottlenose dolphin and the California sea lion. Sea lions, like the dolphins found in the waters of the Bahamas and at various dolphin centers and sanctuaries, are friendly and social creatures. They enjoy interaction with humans and are excellent learners. California sea lions are especially known for their adaptability in a variety of environments, including man made aquariums, centers, and lagoons.

Bahamas Sea Lions

Sea lions are can be large sea creatures, weighing up to 660 pounds. The females are usually smaller. They feed mainly on smaller sea animals including salmon, anchovies and other fish and squid species. They are known to cooperate with other larger sea creatures such as dolphins or sharks when hunting and feeding. They are found naturally around the waters of central and northern California but have made their way around the world in different sea aquariums. Here, guests are able to interact with these happy creatures and learn how to become amateur sea lion trainers.

In Nassau, the best place to meet these interesting animals is on Blue Lagoon Island. Six resident sea lions now make their home there. Along with the group of 18 dolphins on Blue Lagoon Island, these six sea lions have become a part of the family of sea animals, trainers, and visitors. The sea lion packages allow you to come face to face with the sea lions and try your hand as a temporary sea lion trainer.

Fun Sea Lion Facts

  • Like dolphins, sea lions are mammals that live in the sea. Unlike dolphins, however, sea lions have evolved to be able to move on land as well as in water. They have a pair of frontal flippers that almost look like winds and are used for swimming and forward movement, while the back flippers are used mostly for steering.
  • Sea lions feed on basically anything that is available where they live. Common pretty include squid, octopus, herring, rockfish, mackerel, and small sharks.
  • These creatures are some of the most vocal mammals utilizing various kinds of vocalizations rather than just one or two. You can hear the sea lion bark, roar, growl and grunt.
  • On land, sea lions will congregate in groups of as many as 1,000 individual sea lions. They lie really close to and even on top of each other. Like dolphins, sea lions are highly social creatures.
  • Sea lion pups are some of the fastest growing mammals thanks to their mothers milk that is rich in fat. They can grow about two to three pounds a day up until they are about three weeks old.