California Sea Lion

Where to see

California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

Channel Islands National Park leads · 6 parks ranked by real sighting rates

Parks Ranked

Share of wildlife watchers reporting a California Sea Lion during a day in the park, from citizen-science data (GBIF)

#ParkCountrySighting
1 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
2 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
30–40%
3 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
4 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
5 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
6 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%

Quick answers

Which is the best park to see a California Sea Lion?

Channel Islands National Park (United States) — about 54% of wildlife watchers report a California Sea Lion sighting there, the highest of the 6 parks in our data.

Where else can I see a California Sea Lion?

El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve (about 33%), Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (about 32%), Bahía de Loreto National Park (about 28%) are the next best options.