Meet the Australian Sea Lion

With their big puppy-dog eyes and playful looks, Australian sea lions might seem all cute and cuddly… but these incredible pinnipeds are also perfectly designed predators of the sea!

From special nostrils that seal shut while diving to eyeballs adapted for crystal-clear vision both above and below water, they’re built for life in two worlds. Their eyes even have a tapetum lucidum (like cats!) so they can hunt in the dark depths, sometimes plunging to 100 metres below.

You can spot the difference between a seal and a sea lion by their tiny external ears (seals don’t have any!). But sadly, the colony off the Houtman Abrolhos Islands near Geraldton is critically endangered, with only around 150 individuals left.

Once hunted heavily by whalers and shipwreck survivors, recovery is slow because females only have one pup every 18 months.

Despite the odds, these skilled hunters still thrive in their ocean home, feasting on fish, squid, small sharks, and even the odd seagull. Fierce, fascinating, and uniquely Australian, the sea lion is a true ocean survivor.