Meet the Riverbanks Zoo sea lions and harbor seal

Riverbanks Zoo’s slippery new tenants make their public debut Thursday.

Sea Lion Landing, home to four sea lions and one harbor seal, opened to the public two weeks early.

Sea Lion Landing is a 250,000-gallon saltwater habitat meant to look like San Francisco’s Pier 39, which is home to hundreds of sea lions. The attraction marks the final phase of Destination Riverbanks—the zoo's $36-million expansion and development project.

Before you go, get to know the animals: Baja, Maverick, P.J. and Gambit.

Baja

Baja, 13, is the oldest sea lion of the group. He is one of three sea lions coming from the San Diego Zoo, and Riverbanks’ curator of mammals John Davis says he’s very well trained.

“He’s used to demonstrations,” Davis said. Riverbanks plans to give daily demonstrations at Sea Lion Landing soon. Baja’s confidence also makes him the more dominant sea lion of the group.

Maverick

Also from San Diego Zoo, Maverick, 4, is very curious and playful.

“He takes a lot of initiative, and he thinks he's in charge but he’s not,” Davis said.

The young sea lion might not know what’s what yet, but he’s learning quickly.

Ranger

Ranger is also 4 years old and also from San Diego. He’s very sensitive and passive. He tends to be cautious, and sticks more to himself. Ranger and Maverick were both rescues.

P.J.

P.J. is the youngest at 3 years old and is a captive-born sea lion from New York’s Seneca Park Zoo. He’s highly energetic, and already knows a number of behaviors and tricks, Davis said, like being able to go where he’s directed. He’s also best buds with Maverick and Ranger.

“They’ve developed a strong bond already,” Davis said.

Gambit

Gambit, 10, is the harbor seal from Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Unlike the sea lions’ brown skin and ear flaps, Gambit has greyish, speckled skin and ear holes. He’s the new guy of the group, and took a little more time to be introduced to his new sea lion roommates, but he’s acclimating well, Davis said.

• Seals and sea lions are pinnipeds. That means they are fin-footed, semiaquatic marine mammals.

• Sea lions live along Pacific coastlines of North America, from Canada to Mexico. Harbor seals are found north of the equator in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The animals cohabitate in the wild, but normally ignore each other, Davis said.

• The seal and sea lions at Riverbanks eat a combination of herring, capelin, pompano and squid. Baja eats the most (21 pounds per week), followed by Maverick, Ranger and P.J. (6 pounds). Gambit, the smallest, eats the least (6 pounds.)

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Meet the Riverbanks Zoo sea lions and harbor seal."