Galápagos Sea Lion Sons Are Mama's Boys
Sons take more energy to raise—but it could pay off with more "grandpups," a new study suggests.
Don't let their hulking mass fool you: Male sea lions are actually mama's boys.
In the first couple of years after birth, sea lion sons seem to be more reliant on their mothers—consuming more milk and sticking closer to home—than sea lion daughters are, according to a study on Galápagos sea lions published in the December issue of the journal Animal Behaviour.
The young males venture out to sea on occasion, but their female counterparts dive for their own food much more often.
The curious thing is, it's not like the young males aren't capable of diving. As one-year-olds, males can dive to the same depth as females (33 feet, or 10 meters, on a typical dive).
It's also not like their
