Sea Lions
The Seal Sanctuary at Gweek is home to three Sea Lions,a Patagonian and two Californian Sea Lions.
Patagonian Sea Lion
The Patagonian, or Southern Sea Lion, can be found on the Atlantic and Pacific shores of South America. The second largest species of Sea Lion in the world, the Patagonians diet includes squid, anchovy, crustaceans and even the occasional penguin. Carus, the Patagonian Sea Lion at the Seal Sanctuary, was born in 1985 and weighs around half a tonne though, despite his size, is a thoroughly docile giant.
Californian Sea Lion
Known for their intelligence and playfulness, the Californian Sea Lion tends to be chocolate brown in colour with a layer of blubber under their skin to provide them with warmth and buoyancy. With a diet that includes fish, squid and shellfish, the Californian Sea Lion is a sociable creature. The Seal Sanctuary currently has two Californian Sea Lions; Rocky, who became blind at the age of five months, and Pepper who was a performing sea lion until she came to the sanctuary in 1992.
A recent redevelopment of the Sea Lion pools gave the three residents a larger, more enriched living environment and allows visitors more of an opportunity to observe these animals in a relaxed setting.
