Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park has a new and young inhabitant. It is a female California sea lion that has just been born in the park, and which comes to increase the colony of these marine mammals. In total, Rancho Texas already has two males and three Californian females (Zalophus californianus) and two males and one Patagonian female (Otaria flavescens).
The newborn pup is the daughter of the same female who gave birth to a male two years ago and both the mother and the new pup are "in perfect condition", according to the park.
The birth occurred after twelve months of gestation and at night, "coinciding with a sky illuminated by the moon". From now on, the mother will breastfeed her pup for twelve months and will have to teach her to swim. Although these mammals are considered marine, their mating and births occur once a year and always on land.
The members of the sea lion colony of Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park eat 48 kilos of fish daily (hake, sardines, herring and mackerel) and bathe and interact with people. A marine biologist and two expert trainers and caregivers are in charge of them.
