Living creature information
A second California sea lion pup of the year has been born.
July 1, 2026
This is the first time in four years that two puppies have been born in the same year.
A male California sea lion pup was born in the Monterey Bay tank at 7:28 AM on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. This is the second California sea lion pup born this year, following the birth on Wednesday, June 17.
On Monday, June 29, 2026, signs of labor were observed in Asuka (16 years old), a female living in the Monterey Bay tank . aquarium keeper intensified their observations, and on Wednesday, July 1, at 7:28 AM, the birth of a male baby was confirmed. Nursing was observed approximately two hours after birth, and the postpartum recovery appears to be progressing smoothly.
California sea lion pups are nourished by their mother's milk for about a year after birth. Since the mothers raise their pups in the exhibit tank, you can sometimes see the heartwarming sight of mothers and their offspring, depending on the time and location.
A picture of a parent and child (taken on July 1st)
About the baby who was born this time
(Taken on July 1st)
Date of birth: July 1, 2026 (Wednesday)
• Exhibition tank : Inside the "Monterey Bay" tank on the 7th floor of Kaiyukan • Body length: 60cm (estimated)
- Sex: Male - Parents: Mother Asuka (16 years old), Father Unknown
About California sea lion
English name: California sea lion
Scientific name: Zalophus californianus
They live only on the eastern coast of the North Pacific Ocean Ocean. When fully grown, males reach a length of about 200cm and a weight of about 300kg, while females reach a length of about 170cm and a weight of about 100kg.
Males are dark brown all over, while females are a lighter shade of dark brown. Their limbs are well developed and are useful for swimming in the water as well as walking on land.
They are polygamous, with one male leading a group called a "harem" of around 30 females and their young.
The gestation period is about one year, and they usually give birth to one calf at a time, nursing the calf for about a year after birth.
★At the Kaiyukan Kaiyukan, California sea lion and Southern rockhopper penguin have been born one after another from May to June 2026, and the aquarium is experiencing a baby boom.
→ A California sea lion pup was born (June 18, 2026)
→ Baby boom!! Southern rockhopper penguin chicks have been born (June 8, 2026)
Check out this creature's blog too!
Latest News
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2026.06.12
news
[Important] Beware of fake ticket websites and scams.
Thank you for always using our facility. We have confirmed the existence of a fake ticket sales website (kaiyukan.world) that is falsely claiming to be an official ticket vendor for our facility, and victims are mainly coming from overseas. Official tickets for our facility are not sold through any channels other than the following official channels: Official/Authorized Sales Channels, Kaiyukan Official Website, Klook, KKday, Trip.com [Caution] You will not be admitted with an unauthorized ticket purchased from any site other than those listed above (such as SNS or resale sites). We also cannot be held responsible for any problems that may arise. If you come across any suspicious sites or tickets being sold at extremely low prices, please refrain from purchasing them. We ask for your understanding and caution so that everyone can enjoy our facility safely and securely.
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2026.10.07
Living creature information
From November 8th, we will be adding creatures collected by aquarium keeper in the Arctic Region to our exhibit!
From Sunday, November 8, 2026, the "Arctic Region" Aquarium (3rd floor underwater section) will be adding 17 species and 85 specimens of creatures that live in the Arctic Region Circle, including fish, crabs, and starfish, collected by aquarium keeper in the Arctic Region. Eyeshade's Sculpin (Scorpionfish) *First exhibit at Kaiyukan Arctic Cod (Polar Cod) Kaiyukan aquarium keeper Hokkaido University's training vessel "Oshoro Maru" on an Arctic voyage survey conducted over 43 days from June 19 to July 31, 2026, and collected approximately 27 species and 370 specimens of creatures. From these, 17 species and 85 specimens (planned), including three species being exhibited for the first time at Kaiyukan, such as the "Eyshade's Sculpin (Scorpionfish)," will be added to the exhibit, bringing the total number of Arctic creatures that live in the Arctic Region to 22 species and 205 specimens (planned). In addition, to coincide with the addition of these exhibits, we will be holding a special program called "A Special Experience from a aquarium keeper 's Perspective - Arctic Creatures Edition," where you can experience the process of moving the creatures from the back tank to the exhibit tanks—a task not usually seen by the public—alongside the aquarium keeper . You will hear lectures and anecdotes from the aquarium keeper who participated in the survey, as well as get to experience the process of moving creatures collected on site to the exhibit tank. *Please check the event page for details on how to participate. Main exhibited creatures Fish Doctor (Naked Greninja) Kelp Snailfish (Snailfish sp.) Fuzzy Hermit Crab (Hermit Crab) Blue King Crab (Oil Crab) Spiny Starfish (Starfish) Sea Raspberry (Coral) *The exhibit period and number of exhibited creatures may be changed without notice depending on the condition of the creatures.
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2026.10.06
Living creature information
A King penguin chick has been born.
~You can see the heartwarming scene of the parenting~ A baby King penguin was born in the "Antarctica" tank on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Since birth, the parents have been raising the baby under their belly, so it has been difficult to see, but about two weeks have passed since birth, and the baby is now occasionally peeking out from under the parents' feet. We are pleased to announce that there are now more opportunities to see the parenting, such as the parents feeding the baby mouth-to-mouth. The baby is growing well, and the aquarium keeper are monitoring its growth by weighing it every morning. King penguin chick born on September 19th (photographed on October 6th) [About the King penguin Chicks] ・Egg-laying date: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 ・Hatching date: Saturday, September 19, 2026 ・Sex: Unknown ・Weight: Approximately 200g (immediately after hatching) → Approximately 840g (as of October 6th) [Second chick] ・Hatching date: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 ・Sex: Unknown ・Weight: 192g (immediately after hatching) → Approximately 350g (as of October 7th) --> *Depending on the condition of the chicks, the exhibit may be canceled without notice.