Artis Zoo - Sea lions' feeding time (Amsterdam, NL)

Feeding time each day at 11.30 a.m. and 3.45 p.m. But be warned: you might get a little wet out there... :o)

The sea lions are part of the seal family, marine predators that are closely related to the bear. Needless to say, their bodies are quite different from those of their landlubber relations. The trunk is in the form of a torpedo, while the legs have adapted into finlike organs. Seals lead an amphibian life, that it to say that unlike whales or sea cows, dry land is an important part of their habitat. They often sleep on land or on the ice. A newborn sea lion is barely able to swim at all and its mother is careful to keep it away from the water for the first few days. The baby is given its first swimming lesson when it is little more than a week old.
Sea lions live in family groups with a father figure at the head of the harem. Among the Californian sea lions at Artis, the bull is easy to pick out: he is much stronger and heavier than the females. Californian sea lions are famous for their playful inquisitiveness. Even the young that are still feeding on their mother's milk enjoy taking part in the fish-catching feeding sessions.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• water
• sea
• lion
• feeding
• amsterdam
• artis
• zoo
• fish
• nl
• fóka
• állatkert
• etetés
• seal

[goodstuffbunny]

do a trick, get a meal!