Hi Everyone!!
Today I wanna to tell you about Seal Bay Conservation Park on Kangaroo Island. This is one of the main attractions on this island, especially you are nature/animal lover. You cannot leave without visiting here!
Australian Sea Lion
They live up to between 17-25 years. Females mature about three years of age, however it takes eight to nine years for male. Full grown male has brown hair and a blond mane, can weigh up to 350kg. Female and juveniles are ash grey on top with cream underbellies. Full grown female will up to 100kg.
They are unique to South Australia and Western Australia, the total population is about 14,700. They are an endangered and protected species. Those seals were hunted heavily during 19th century for three leather and oil. The guide said the population never be able to return to its pre-hunting levels anymore.
Behavior
Australian Sea Lions use three from flippers to prop themselves up and the bay flippers help them to walk on the sand. They are very social animals when they are not feeding in the ocean, they spend time resting, sun baking and digesting on the beach. You can see those behaviours here, may be able to see curious pups real close to you!
When feeding, male sea lions will travel up to 100km and females up to 70km from their breeding colony. They take 3 days for the hunting, and come back to the beach and rest for 3 days. Australian sea lions eat continental shelf, or sea floor creatures such as octopus, small rays, sharks and lobsters. On the beach you can see some seals coming in and out from ocean.
Breeding
During breeding season, makes become aggressive and very territorial to defend his females from other males. Female can fall pregnant from 3 years old and gestation time is 17.6 months. This is the longest of any seal species.
Conservation Park
Seal Bay Conservation Park has been home to an Australian Sea Lion population for thousands of years, as well as dedicated to the protection of Kangaroo Island’s local Sea lions. You will experience entering one of a largest colony of wild Australian sea lions and find the unique species in the natural environment.
Approximately 1,000 sea lions reside in the south coast bay, you will be a able to beautiful encounter with them in the conservation area. I highly recommend you to join the tour with a friendly park ranger. You can actually go down to the beach, get so close to them, find their interesting behaviour with very knowledgeable guide.
However, if you don’t wanna join the tour, there is nice boardwalk and lookout where you will be able to see the sea lions on the beach. I personally like to be on the tour and go this boardwalk later because then I can see the different view of seals and of course, beach itself is amazing!
There are so many information about them, if you are interested in please visit Seal Bay Conservation Park on Kangaroo Island, this is one of my favourite place here.
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