Galapagos Sealion
Zalophus wollebaeki
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyOtariidae (Eared Seals)
- GenusZalophus (California, Galápagos, and Japanese Sea Lions)
- SpeciesZalophus wollebaeki (Galapagos Sealion)
The Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) is a species of sea lion that lives and breeds on the Galápagos Islands and, in smaller numbers, on Isla de la Plata (Ecuador). They are the smallest sea lion species. Wikipedia →
70–80% of wildlife watchers report a Galapagos Sealion sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 2,770 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Galápagos Islands
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Corcovado National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Galapagos Sealion in Galápagos Islands?
About 77% of wildlife watchers report a Galapagos Sealion sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 2,770 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Galapagos Sealion in Galápagos Islands?
August has the highest sighting rate for Galapagos Sealion in Galápagos Islands in our monthly data.