Sea lion enjoys the winter sun

Jan/25/09 04:37 AM

A sea lion was seen Friday and Saturday enjoying the warm sunshine on a West Seattle beach. The female California sea lion, using a fallen tree on the shoreline as a haulout, appears quite healthy and soaked up the sun for several hours. Females are not often seen in our area, as the majority of our CA sea lion population consists of juvenile and adult males who migrate north in search of food. Reports of a second “scarred” sea lion at the exact same location minutes later have not been substantiated. Upon examination of photos, WA Fish and Wildlife believes she is the same sea lion with a coat partially saturated from the water, giving the appearance of scarring and molting as the coat dries. Volunteers and Park staff are monitoring the location to make sure there is no human interference. It is not often that we are able to observe these magnificent animals hauled out on our urban beaches, so please keep your distance while they rest and warm up.