Four species of seal once bred in Tasmania's Bass Strait, the Australian fur seal, long-nosed fur seal, Australian sea lion, and the Southern Elephant seal. Three of these species were totally eradicated and only the Australian fur seal now remains in Bass Strait.

The Australian sea lion is a pinniped, most closely related to other species of sea lions and fur seals making up the family Otariidae. [5] These mammals use their flippers to propel themselves in water and walk on land.

The Australian sea lion is inquisitive and curious and is sometimes referred to as the dog of the sea, thanks to its playful nature and barking calls. The male Australian sea-lion is distinguished from its female counterpart by being twice the length and weight and having darker fur.

Get to know all of Australia’s seals and sea lions. SEALS AND SEA LIONS are marine mammals known as pinnipeds; there are 33 species worldwide. All are carnivores that hunt at sea – often for fish and squid – and breed on land; mostly in large, noisy colonies.

Sea-lions can also be seen on the way out to the Bremer Canyon, where Orcas are also prevalent. Australian Fur S eals are seen all year around Kangaroo Island and Tasmania and are known to dive at least 200 metres in search of prey.

Don't miss a chance to watch these adorable animals resting on the beaches of Bull Rock, Reid Rocks, Tenth Island and The Friars. Take a glass-bottomed boat to have a better look, or try a perspex dive tube if you are willing to see them really …

Aus­tralian sea lions are found on is­lands off­shore of Aus­tralia. They range from west­ern Aus­tralia to is­lands in south­ern Aus­tralia. The largest pop­u­la­tions are found on Kan­ga­roo Is­land and Dan­ger­ous Reef (near Port Lin­coln) in south­ern Aus­tralia.

Apr 6, 2018 · The six species of sea lion and and seal shown here either breed in Australia or are occasional visitors to our waters. SEALS AND SEA LIONS are marine mammals known as pinnipeds; there are 33 species worldwide.

Wandering individuals have been sighted as far as New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Shark Bay in Western Australia. The Australian sea lion is the most widely distributed and the least abundant pinniped in Australia.

Australian Sea lions are our only endemic pinniped species. The estimated population size prior to historic hunting is unknown, however their former distribution extended to eastern Bass Strait (Victoria) and northern Tasmania (Campbell et al., 2007).