Am I not sweet?

Galapagos Sea Lions breed between May and January and mating usually occurs in the water. Males hold their territories for 10 days - 3 months and during this time they aggressively defend it.

After a gestation period of approximately 11 months, females give birth to 1 pup. When the pups are born they weigh approximately 6 Kgs (13.2 lbs) and they are approximately 75 cms (29.5 inches) long. The pups are attended continuously by their mothers for 6 - 7 days after they are born, then the females have to go to sea to feed themselves, returning to their pups at night.

When the pups reach 1 - 2 weeks old they will venture into the water and start to learn how to swim. They are weaned when they reach 11 - 12 months old but because of the long breeding season and the length of time pups are cared for by their mothers, there are dependent pups on the rookeries all year round.