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In a previous publication we announced the pregnancy of Lola, one of the sea lions in the Benidorm Water Park,  Aqua Natura and now we can announce the birth of a young male pup.

The pup was born weighing 8 kilos and measuring 45 centimetres and is the first pup born in the park.  The young male pup brings the total number of sea lions in the park to eleven.

The birth occurred naturally in an area designed to ensure the safety of both mother and the new born,  with an area for Lola to swim in and a dry area for the birth.   Young pups cannot swim when they are born and can easily drown, they enter the water for the first time at about four weeks old.

During the first year the pup will nurse from his mother.  The breast milk contains all the nutrients and fat needed to waterproof their fur.  As from six months they will start to eat fish, combining breast milk with fish until they are weaned at a year old.

The reproductive cycle of the sea lion is rather special.  Two weeks after the birth the mother is ready to mate and reproduce again.  The resulting embryo is not implanted in the uterus but is reserved for a later date.

This species is able to delay embryo implantation after mating so that the female can provide all the necessary attention to the young pup until it is weaned.

At the moment Lola is dedicating all her attention to raising her little one which she will continue to do for one year and then the other embryo will implant and start to develop.

In the wild the mother may go up to 15 days without food after the birth so she is not separated from her young from one minute until he learns to swim, keeping him safe from and avoiding attacks from predators.

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