Galapagos sea lions are badly affected by the lack of food availability and weather conditions produced by El Nino events. During the 1982 to 1983 El Nino all Galapagos sea lion pups born died while only a third of the normal number of pups were born in 1983.
The Galapagos sea lion Zalophus californius wollebaeki is found on the Galapagos Islands in coastal Ecuador and Colombia.
The Galapagos sea lion is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN Red List.