Vienna, Austria - August 06, 2025 On July 23, Schönbrunn Zoo welcomed a newborn sea lion seal, already showing signs of becoming a little water expert. The pup is currently staying with its mother in a specially designed mother-pup area within the seal enclosure, giving them peace and time before rejoining the lively group of four. Sea lion seals, native to South America’s coasts, typically weigh between 11 and 15 kilograms at birth and can swim right away. “Our pup made its first attempts at swimming on the third day of its life. At first, the mother was always very alert and tried to keep it in the shallow part of the pool,” said curator Rupert Kainradl, MSc. The experienced mother is caring tenderly for her pup, whose sex remains unknown. Initially, the youngster slept much of the day but has now become very active, happily waddling around the enclosure and swimming independently. Sea lion seal pups nurse for about eight to ten months. When hungry, the little one makes loud calls to its mother. “In a few months, it will slowly start to show an interest in its mother’s food. Then it will play with the fish and take its first bites more or less by chance,” explained district manager Niklas Hörper. Sea lion seals are protected species in Chile, Peru, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands. Their once severely depleted populations are now recovering, thanks to conservation efforts.