# Did I just see Sea Lions in my little retention pond? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108 "2012-05-06T23:10:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UMBrynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ee59a6/32.png) [@UMBrynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UMBrynn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/1 "2012-05-06T23:10:47Z")
It’s on a defunct golf course. I saw two of them, whiskers, similar body type…they were mostly submerged, but flipped forward like Sea Lions would do (or Seals, can’t say I am an expert in the subject). It is a retention pond for the city water, which fills only during the wet season, generally. It is about 2’ deep now. They are inside a little tunnel between the 2 lakes, under a walkway. I wish I could show a picture, but they were gone before I could. Body was probably 1.5’ to 2’ long…babies, no doubt. Fresh water, obviously. Any ideas? Thanks! Brynn ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/2 "2012-05-06T23:21:18Z")
Could they have been [river otters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_river_otter)? ---
**Author:** ![Analogue\_Skywalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Analogue\_Skywalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Analogue_Skywalker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/3 "2012-05-06T23:22:19Z")
> [@UMBrynn](#): > > It’s on a defunct golf course. I saw two of them, whiskers, similar body type…they were mostly submerged, but flipped forward like Sea Lions would do (or Seals, can’t say I am an expert in the subject). > It is a retention pond for the city water, which fills only during the wet season, generally. It is about 2’ deep now. They are inside a little tunnel between the 2 lakes, under a walkway. I wish I could show a picture, but they were gone before I could. Body was probably 1.5’ to 2’ long…babies, no doubt. Fresh water, obviously. Any ideas? > > Thanks! > > Brynn Where is this? I’d say mink or otter ---
**Author:** ![UMBrynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ee59a6/32.png) [@UMBrynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UMBrynn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/4 "2012-05-06T23:59:09Z")
Yes, I suppose it could be a River Otter…never seen one tho. Sorry, I forgot to mention I am in South Florida, western Broward county, northwest of Ft. Lauderdale (city of Coral Springs). They didn’t seem to have any fur, it seemed more streamlined than that, but then again, I didn’t get a GREAT look as they were in the dark tunnel mostly…only coming out a foot…I had my dogs with me, which definitely scared them back into the tunnel. I shall continue to find them, bringing my camera with me, with the hope of nabbing a good picture. Thank you for your suggestions, when I get a better look, I will definitely find out if they are in fact the River Otter. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/5 "2012-05-07T00:06:53Z")
Maybe nutria or muskrat? ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/6 "2012-05-07T00:41:26Z")
Florida seems a bit far south for seals. Could be a river otter or maybe an introduced specie. A seal probably would be a lot bigger than an otter. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/7 "2012-05-07T01:53:03Z")
Certainly not sea lions or seals in Florida, or in a freshwater pool. River otter, nutria, or muskrat are all possibilities, but a photo or better description would be needed. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/8 "2012-05-07T18:14:31Z")
I’ve seen otters run and it could be mistaken for that loping, seal-like gait. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/9 "2012-05-07T23:09:15Z")
> [@UMBrynn](#): > > …They didn’t seem to have any fur, it seemed more streamlined than that, … They were wet. Seals and sea lions have fur too. I’m betting nutria or otter, maybe muskrat. ---
**Author:** ![Juice512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@Juice512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juice512)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-sea-lions-in-my-little-retention-pond/621108/10 "2022-01-14T16:32:06Z")
I’m in orlando and I believe I spotted one as well. It had little flippers and the color was a darker brown closer to black. It saw me and got in the pond and started swimming and did a spin and went underneath. Pond on the corner of S Apopka Vineland rd and Vinings way. He was on the right side of the bridge.