Endangered Australian sea lion pup makes splash in first public appearance

Taronga Zoo’s nine-week-old endangered sea lion pup made its first public plunge on Wednesday.

The Australian female pup, which is yet to be named, required some encouragement from first-time mother Tarni, who urged the debutante into the water through a series of short barks.

The nine-week-old sea lion made her public debut on Wednesday.Credit: Louise Kennerley

The pup showed bursts of energy after entering the water and spent the afternoon sleeping and sunbaking on land, which Taronga Zoo marine supervisor Brad McKenzie welcomed as a sign of comfort.

“All pups are different, and this one was very confident,” McKenzie said.

“All we can do is put her in the best position to build those skills, and Mum has a watchful eye over everything – she really wanted her into the water, and any time she popped up, Mum wanted her back in there.”

The pup’s birth on January 31 marked the first of an endangered Australian sea lion from wild-born parents in eight years. Tarni, who was orphaned in 2017 on Baird Beach in the Great Australian Bight, was bred with the 19-year-old Charlie, the father of four sea lions.

It took a few days for Tarni’s critical maternal instincts to kick in, creating a helpless waiting game for zookeepers determined to see the newcomer prosper.

“She really didn’t know what to do at the start, and there was not a lot for us to guide her on, but those instincts took a couple of days for her to be settled,” McKenzie said. “She’s just been the best mum [since] – so doting on her in everything she does and always has an eye on her.”

Australian sea lions are the only species of their kind endemic to Australia, with just 6500 adults estimated to be in the wild. Entanglement with gill nets and marine debris are among the major threats facing wild populations.

The best time to see Tarni and her pup will be in the morning at the Seal Cove habitat of Taronga Zoo.

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