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Sea Lion Island offers you a wonderful, rich and high-quality wildlife and wilderness experience all within an easily explorable 10 sq kilometres/3.5 sq miles, and a purpose-built Lodge in which to relax and still enjoy the wildlife and Southern Ocean views.
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Located 16 km/10 miles south of mainland East Falkland, just 8 km/5 miles long and just over 1.5 km/1 mile at its widest point, the island is a relatively flat plateau but with spectacular cliffs at the western end. Its high-quality native habitats, lack of rodents and other introduced predators, careful management as a National Nature Reserve, Important Bird Area and Ramsar site, make it a perfect breeding ground for a diverse range of wildlife.
Three breeding species of penguin (Gentoo, Southern Rockhopper and Magellanic), the endemic Cobb’s Wren, Southern Giant Petrels, Striated Caracara, and a host of other waders and passerines can be found on the beaches and grasslands. The ponds provide an ideal home, and sheltered viewing spots, for a myriad of waterfowl such as Chiloe Wigeon, Silver and Speckled Teal, and herons. |
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However, it is perhaps the Southern Elephant Seals on several of the beaches that attract the most attention. Sea Lion Island is home to the largest population in the Falklands. Large males arrive in mid-September to establish and defend their territories; weighing up to 3.5 tonnes and 14 ft in length, territorial fighting between two bulls is a truly formidable sight. The females begin to arrive soon after and by mid-October the 500 females are in the peak of pupping, and the patient observer can be rewarded by watching a full birth. Young pups are weaned in as little as three weeks, although they remain on the beaches for several months before taking to the sea. Elephant Seals can be observed throughout the summer on Sea Lion Island.
In turn the Elephant Seals and Southern Sea Lions attract Killer Whales/Orcas which patrol the island predominately hunting the young pups as they learn to swim, but also catching some unsuspecting adult seals throughout the summer. A small number of orcas have learnt to navigate a narrow channel into the rock pool that act as playpen for the young elephant seal pups – a hunting behaviour that has featured in many internationally acclaimed nature documentaries. With some patience and perhaps the odd early morning start you will be lucky enough to catch this behaviour on camera yourself. 
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Accommodation & Tours :
Sea Lion Lodge offers full board accommodation in 11 ensuite bedrooms, and public areas that allow you to still enjoy the wildlife from the comfort of a sofa.
A well-stocked bar and large lounge, ideal for relaxing in after a day of exploring, offer views of the South Atlantic – the next stop is Antarctica which lies about 1200 km/750 miles away.
The beauty of Sea Lion Island is that all the wildlife is within walking distance on easy terrain for most people. For those that wish there is an option of a drop off/pick up to visit the west end of the island which is furthest from the Lodge, but then you are free to explore at your own leisure, with the busiest Elephant Seal beach and the ponds being just a few minutes’ walk from the Lodge.
Sea Lion Lodge offers full board accommodation in 11 ensuite bedrooms, and public areas that allow you to still enjoy the wildlife from the comfort of a sofa.
A well-stocked bar and large lounge, ideal for relaxing in after a day of exploring, offer views of the South Atlantic – the next stop is Antarctica which lies about 1200 km/750 miles away.
The beauty of Sea Lion Island is that all the wildlife is within walking distance on easy terrain for most people. For those that wish there is an option of a drop off/pick up to visit the west end of the island which is furthest from the Lodge, but then you are free to explore at your own leisure, with the busiest Elephant Seal beach and the ponds being just a few minutes’ walk from the Lodge.
The Environment :
Sea Lion Island is a wildlife haven and under the National Nature Reserve Ordinance has a strict no smoking policy anywhere on the island. The only designated smoking area is situated outside the Lodge. Since 2009, an Environmental Management Plan has been in place to guide conservation and research, including on-going monitoring and practising good biosecurity.
The Lodge owners (Wild Falklands Limited) are working hard to improve its environmental sustainability for the benefit of the Island and their guests. In close collaboration with Falkland Islands Development Corporation, and more recently with tourism industry partners, they have arranged tussac planting weekends with local volunteers, increasing the healthy coastal ecosystem and habitat, which with its ability to store and remove considerable amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, is vital to a sustainable tourism industry and future for Sea Lion Island.
Also high on their agenda is increasing the renewable energy capacity. A wind turbine, solar water heating system, and solar panels generate the majority of the power. Water is pumped with very little energy cost from a fresh spring located near to the Lodge, and all the lighting is low-energy. Where possible single-use plastics are avoided, and they source food products organically and sustainably from within the Falklands. All organic waste is composted and used for the Lodge’s garden.
Sea Lion Lodge supports the long-term monitoring carried out by scientists of the Elephant Seal Research Group who have visited the island for the past 30 summers.
Sea Lion Island is a wildlife haven and under the National Nature Reserve Ordinance has a strict no smoking policy anywhere on the island. The only designated smoking area is situated outside the Lodge. Since 2009, an Environmental Management Plan has been in place to guide conservation and research, including on-going monitoring and practising good biosecurity.
The Lodge owners (Wild Falklands Limited) are working hard to improve its environmental sustainability for the benefit of the Island and their guests. In close collaboration with Falkland Islands Development Corporation, and more recently with tourism industry partners, they have arranged tussac planting weekends with local volunteers, increasing the healthy coastal ecosystem and habitat, which with its ability to store and remove considerable amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, is vital to a sustainable tourism industry and future for Sea Lion Island.
Also high on their agenda is increasing the renewable energy capacity. A wind turbine, solar water heating system, and solar panels generate the majority of the power. Water is pumped with very little energy cost from a fresh spring located near to the Lodge, and all the lighting is low-energy. Where possible single-use plastics are avoided, and they source food products organically and sustainably from within the Falklands. All organic waste is composted and used for the Lodge’s garden.
Sea Lion Lodge supports the long-term monitoring carried out by scientists of the Elephant Seal Research Group who have visited the island for the past 30 summers.
