Valencia's Oceanogràfic Welcomes Rare Sea Lion Twins

Valencia's Oceanogràfic has announced the birth of two California sea lion pups (Zalophus californianus) — a male and a female. The birth took place on May 31 without complications and without intervention from the veterinary team. About two hours passed between the arrival of the first and the second pup.

As the aquarium's specialists explain, both pups were born tail-first, which could have complicated the birthing process. Despite this, the female gave birth entirely naturally, and no intervention from the veterinary team was needed.

"The birth of twins in sea lions is an exceptional case. You always hear about isolated cases, but they are very rare, and we had never encountered a situation like this," the specialists explained.

Females of this species are biologically adapted to carry and nurse only a single pup per pregnancy. Giving birth to twins is a serious challenge for both the mother and the two pups during the first weeks of life. The scientific literature records only a handful of cases of California sea lions giving birth to multiple pups at once in zoos in Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom over recent decades.

For now, all three are in an indoor holding area not accessible to visitors, where the team is keeping them under constant observation. The specialists are monitoring the pups' feeding and mobility. At the same time, they are watching the female's recovery after an unusually heavy strain.

In addition to the sea lion pups, which are not yet ready to meet visitors, the aquarium is home to another 35,000 animals from 780 species — sharks, penguins, dolphins, belugas, reptiles, and birds. La Cotorra has put together a fresh guide to Valencia's Oceanogràfic — Europe's largest aquarium: what to buy, which shows to see, where to eat, and most importantly, how much it all costs.