Sea monsters

Out guiding a wildlife tour on the peninsula we watched these male NZ sea lions investigate one another on the beach.

Some interesting facts about these animals. They are one of the most endangered sea lions in the world. Only in about the last decade have they returned to establish a small population on the NZ mainland here on the Otago Peninsula. Found in greater numbers breeding in the remote sub-anarctic islands to the south males are more likely to disperse to new territories. Hence there 90% of the sea lions we see are males. Females tend to stay close to where they were born. However, one female visited in 1995, mated and raised a pup, another female.

Since then there has been a small breeding population. Still mostly males though. With the ladies in short supply it is not uncommon to see the bigger males dominate the smaller and engage in homosexual behavior. Each sea lion has a different character though and are very combative and curious, often coming out of the surf to investigate those on the beach like this.