Southern sea lions are also known as maned seals. Males are approximately three times the size of females. Although no commercial hunting of South American sea lions occurs nowadays, numbers were heavily depleted during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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The South American Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens, formerly Otaria byronia), also called the Southern Sea Lion and the Patagonian Sea Lion, is a sea lion found on the Chilean, Peruvian, Uruguayan and Argentine coasts. Its scientific name was subject to controversy, with some taxonomists referring to it as Otaria flavescens and other referring to it as Otaria byronia. The former eventually won out. Locally, it is known by several names though the most common ones are "lobo marino" (sea wolf) and "león marino" (sea lion).
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Family: Eared seal (Otariidae)
Genus: Otaria
Species: South American Sea Lion (flavescens)
Adaptation data provided by Animal Diversity Web
They can be found in the following habitats:
The Southern sea lion is Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Population trend: Stable
Year assessed: 2008
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