South American Sea Lions

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. Less dominant males may try to achieve success by causing chaos in the group. The overall population of the species is considered stable, estimated at 265,000 animals.