Sea lion reserve
Watch the graceful dance of California sea lions inside a million-litre tunnel-shaped glass tank and glide alongside them in their watery home.
You’ll love seeing the nimble acrobatics, quick intelligence and playfulness of these wild sea mammals right up close.
The Californian sea lions
California sea lions were nearly made extinct – by gold diggers! During the Gold Rush, American settlers hunted them for food, clothing, lamp and heating oil.
On the west coast of the United States, once abundant sea lion populations suddenly declined at the end of the 19th century and almost disappeared completely. It was then that the U.S. government created the country’s first marine mammal parks off the coast of Los Angeles.
Near this unspoilt coastline, kelp and giant algae form underwater forests that rise from the sea floor to the water’s surface. The forests produce biomass that is eaten by marine mammals such as sea lions, otters and whales.
