The Nate-ure Report: Sea Lions at the El Paso Zoo

EL PASO, Texas -- Coronavirus has kept visitors from entering the El Paso Zoo, but on the inside the zoo's vast diversity of species still need to be cared for. So ABC-7 Sports Reporter Nate Ryan went over to the zoo to learn more about the species zoo home!

In the first installment of "The Nate-ure Report," we get to know the California Sea Lions.

Surfers will tell you, California Sea Lions love to play. But these sea dogs are quite smart too.

Sea Lions feast on squid and other fish, but they don't even need to see their prey to catch it!

"Sea Lions can actually track the movement of fish through the water 25 meters away," says zookeeper Amanda Stansberry. "So the little patterns that fish make as they swim, sea lions can track that by feeling the movement in the water."

In the wild, California Sea Lions make their home up and down the Pacific shoreline, from the Alaskan Coast all the way to the south of Mexico. Or, you could just check them out at the El Paso Zoo.

Standsberry adds that the Sea Lions are anxious to see all the people once the gates open back up.

"They do pay attention and they've noticed that the visitors aren't here. So I'm sure they'll be excited once we do get the visitors back."

Stay tuned for more episodes of "The Nate-ure Report" on ABC-7 at 6.