Nala the Sea-lion

Now that the pup has graduated from her pupping crèche, Kira has introduced her new arrival  to the large Taronga Zoo Seal Cove Pool. The youngster is still quite uncoordinated in the water and just like a young chid, needs to learn the art of swimming. She definitely has a preference for belly flopping into the pool and when she gets tired, she takes a break by leaning up against her ever doting Mum or splashes around in the shallow end.

The young pup is very active and inquisitive; however Zoo visitors have had to bring a keen set of eyes when visiting her because when she snoozes, her dark fur camouflages very well with her surroundings.

The new arrival was recently named 'Nala'. The African name was selected by the keepers from a public naming competition reinforcing the fact that she is a Sea-lion rather than a true Seal. Nala was also the name of the lion princess in the Disney movie the 'Lion King' and her dedicated keepers definitely think she is the princess of Taronga Zoo's Seal Cove.

Nala will remain with Kira for sometime with females suckling their pups up to 18 months. Some females care for their offspring for up to three years and can be seen in the breeding colonies with a boisterous juvenile and new pup.

Nala's arrival means there are now three generations of Australian Sea-lions at Taronga Zoo's Great Southern Oceans exhibit. Kira, the pup's mother was the last Australian Sea-lion born at Taronga seven years ago and Taronga is also home to grandfather 'Orson' an animal rescued and re-housed at the Zoo by the RSPCA many years ago.

The birth is exceptionally significant with as few as 10,000 Australian Sea-lions remaining in the wild. The World Conservation Union's list for threatened species lists this unique native animal as endangered. Sea-lions were harvested in the 1800s with their populations falling to very low numbers. Despite now being protected, populations of these pinnipeds have not re-bounded and wild populations often become a by-catch of fisheries or become entangled and fatally injured by marine debris.