Southern Sea Lion
Otaria byronia
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyOtariidae (Eared Seals)
- GenusOtaria
- SpeciesOtaria byronia (Southern Sea Lion)
The South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens, formerly Otaria byronia), also called the southern sea lion and the Patagonian sea lion, is a sea lion found on the western and southeastern coasts of South America. It is the only extant member of the genus Otaria, which also includes the extinct Otaria josefinae. The species is highly sexually dimorphic. Males have a large head and prominent mane. They mainly feed on fish and cephalopods and haul out on sand, gravel, rocky, or pebble beaches. Breeding males typically defend both territories and individual females, though this can vary. Wikipedia →
80–90% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Sea Lion sighting in Península Valdés, based on 137 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 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 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Paracas National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Southern Sea Lion in Península Valdés?
About 82% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Sea Lion sighting in Península Valdés, based on 137 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Southern Sea Lion in Península Valdés?
August has the highest sighting rate for Southern Sea Lion in Península Valdés in our monthly data.