LC Least Concern

I am a large gregarious marine mammal with a robust body. There are remarkable differences in size between males and females of my species. The front of my body has a lot of fat and thick muscle layers. The color of my fur varies from dark brown to reddish and yellow tones. Humans know us as "a single hair" sea lions, to differentiate us from the South American Fur Seal (Arctocephalus australis) which has two types of fur. During the breeding season, we form large groups called "harem" of several females and a dominant male, which is also known as the sea lion, due to the loud roars that it emits and the dense mane that covers the neck and part of the chest.

My varied diet is based primarily on fish, invertebrates, crustaceans, and birds. My favorite preys are anchovies, hakes, cephalopods, jellyfish, among others.

I live on the South American rocky beaches and islands of Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.

I have an important ecological role!  

I am a top predator, contributing to the regulation of the natural population of my prey, helping to balance the food web. The main threats to my species are the contamination of my habitat and conflicts with local fishermen.