Newsroom
| Sea Lions Coming to Mote in December | | |
| Published Monday, June 18, 2012 |
by Hayley Rutger
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If you thought Mote’s penguins were cool, just wait ’til you hear about our edgy new offering: Sea Lions: On the Water’s Edge.
Appearing for a limited engagement, the exhibit — scheduled to open Dec. 1 and remain through spring 2013 — will be the second visiting exhibit hosted by The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory. This new feature follows on the major success of Penguin Island, hosted by Mote in the fall of 2011 through spring 2012.
Sea Lions: On the Water’s Edge will feature California and Patagonian sea lions and offer visitors a chance to get close to these fascinating marine mammals. Mote is currently seeking sponsors for this fun and fascinating exhibit. (Details below).
Protected by the 1972 U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, California sea lions have rebounded over the decades. Pategonian sea lions — native to South America and not covered by the 1972 law — have also rebounded. In spite of these successes, both species continue to face threats that are similar to those faced by some of Florida’s own iconic species, particularly dolphins and sea turtles. These threats include injuries from fishing gear and marine debris, along with other complications of living in close proximity to humans.
Sea lions belong to the scientific order Pinnipedia, along with seals, fur seals and walruses. This group name means “wing-footed” or “fin-footed” or even “flipper footed” in Latin, highlighting one feature that helps these marine mammals lead astounding double lives.
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Whether you’re a seafarer or landlubber, there’s a lot to love about these animals that spend their lives both on land and in the sea.
Sea Lions: On the Water’s Edge will include special narrated demonstrations that highlight sea lions’ intelligence and natural abilities. Here’s a quick primer to introduce you to these fascinating marine mammals:
- By land or sea
A number of pinnipeds can hear and see and communicate both on land and underwater.
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- They get around
Sea lions are highly agile in the water, thanks in part to their streamlined bodies and sleek fur. They might look a bit clumsy on land, but they have no trouble exploring — on Año Nuevo Island near California, sea lions have even climbed up the stairs in an old house.
- Have you heard?
Studies show that while under water, some pinnipeds can hear frequencies higher than 70,000 Hz (the human hearing range is about 20 to 20,000 Hz). Sea lions and fur seals have small external ears, while true seals do not.
- Touchy, touchy
Pinnipeds have highly sensitive whiskers that may connect with 10 times as many nerve fibers as the whiskers of land mammals. Whiskers help pinnipeds sense water movements to find prey and navigate dark or murky waters.
- Cold water, warm heart
Pinnipeds have thick blubber, fur or both that helps them stay warm in cold water. They can also retain warmth, or disperse excess heat, through special networks of blood vessels that are arranged to optimize body temperature regulation.
- That’s deep
California sea lions can dive deeper than 880 feet and other pinnipeds can go even further down. For instance, adult female elephant seals have been documented diving to 4,100 feet.
- “See” mammals
Most pinnipeds have good vision in and out of the water. The retinas of their eyes may have high numbers of rods — a type of light-sensing cell — so they can see underwater at night or at depth. They even have a tapetum lucidum, a light-reflecting layer that helps the eye make better use of low light. It also causes their eyes to “glow” at night like a cat’s.
- Sea Lion Smarts
Sea lions can learn complicated behaviors and some California sea lions have been trained to communicate with humans similar to the way some dolphins have been trained.
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Visiting the sea lions will be included with the price of regular admission to The Aquarium at Mote, which is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. seven days per week, including all holidays, at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota. Tickets are $17 for adults, $16 for seniors (over 65), $12 for kids (ages 4-12) and free for children age 3 and younger. Mote Members always get in free. Learn more at www.mote.org
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Founded in 1955, Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 research organization based in Sarasota, Fla., with field stations in eastern Sarasota County, Charlotte Harbor and the Florida Keys. Donations to Mote are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. 
Mote is dedicated to today’s research for tomorrow’s oceans with an emphasis on world-class research relevant to conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, healthy habitats and natural resources. Research programs include studies of human cancer using marine models, the effects of man-made and natural toxins on humans and on the environment, the health of wild fisheries, developing sustainable and successful fish restocking techniques and food production technologies and the development of ocean technology to help us better understand the health of the environment. Mote research programs also focus on understanding the population dynamics of manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and coral reefs and on conservation and restoration efforts related to these species and ecosystems.   Mote’s vision includes positively impacting public policy through science-based outreach and education. Showcasing this research is Mote Aquarium, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 365 days a year. Learn more at www.mote.org.
Contact: Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236. (941) 388-4441 or info@mote.org.
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