Australian sea lion is the rarest and only native seal in australia
The Australian sea lion is the only seal native to the country. They’re found along the nation’s southern and western coastlines, with population strongholds ranging from SA beaches to remote islands off WA. Sadly, Australia’s only native seal is also the rarest species found in our oceans. The Australian sea lion is Endangered to extinction, and are faced with a growing number of threats, to the point where it is estimated there are only 6,500 known Australian sea lions remaining in the wild.
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Australian sea lions have one of the longest breeding cycles of any marine mammal. The mating season only occurs once every 18 months, followed by the gestation period, which is another 18 months. The females will then spend another year and a half teaching their pup how to find food and fend for themselves. This long parenting process is essential for pups to reach maturity.