Editing Pinniped (section)

===Intelligence===
In a [[match-to-sample task]] study, a single California sea lion was able to demonstrate an understanding of symmetry, transitivity and equivalence; a second seal was unable to complete the tasks.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Schusterman, R. J. |author2=Kastak, D. |year=1993 |title=A California sea lion (''Zalophus californianus'') is capable of forming equivalence relations |journal=Psychological Record |volume=43 |issue=4 |pages=823–39 |issn=0033-2933 |url=http://pinnipedlab.ucsc.edu/publications/pub_080_1993.pdf |doi=10.1007/BF03395915 |s2cid=147715775 |access-date=2 August 2013 |archive-date=13 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513041845/http://pinnipedlab.ucsc.edu/publications/pub_080_1993.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> They demonstrate the ability to understand simple [[syntax]] and commands when taught an artificial [[sign language]], though they only rarely used the signs [[semantics|semantically]] or logically.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Gisiner, R. |author2=Schusterman, R. J. |year=1992 |title=Sequence, syntax, and semantics: Responses of a language-trained sea lion (''Zalophus californianus'') to novel sign combinations |journal=Journal of Comparative Psychology |volume=106 |issue=1 |pages=78–91 |url=https://pinnipedlab.ucsc.edu/publications/pub_077_1992.pdf |doi=10.1037/0735-7036.106.1.78 |access-date=11 November 2018 |archive-date=19 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119152347/https://pinnipedlab.ucsc.edu/publications/pub_077_1992.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2011, a captive California sea lion named Ronan was recorded bobbing its head in synchrony to musical rhythms. This "rhythmic entrainment" was previously seen only in humans, [[parrot]]s and other birds possessing [[bird vocalization|vocal mimicry]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Cook, F. |author2=Rouse, A. |author3=Wilson, M. |author4=Reichmuth, M. |year=2013|title=A California sea lion (''Zalophus californianus'') can keep the beat: Motor entrainment to rhythmic auditory stimuli in a non vocal mimic |journal=Journal of Comparative Psychology |doi=10.1037/a0032345|volume=127 |issue=4 |pages=412–427 |pmid=23544769|s2cid=34580113 }}</ref> Adult male elephant seals can recognize each other's vocalizations by remembering the rhythm and [[timbre]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Mathevon, N|author2=Casey, C|author3=Reichmuth, C|author4=Charrier, I|year=2017|title=Northern elephant seals memorize the rhythm and timbre of each others voices|journal=Current Biology|volume=27|issue=15|pages=2352–2356|doi=10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.035|pmid=28736171|s2cid=25798255|doi-access=free}}</ref> In the 1970s, a captive harbor seal named [[Hoover (seal)|Hoover]] was trained to imitate human speech and laughter.{{sfn|Riedman|1990|p=331}}

For sea lions used in entertainment, trainers toss a ball at the animal or simply place the object on its nose, so it will eventually understand the behavior desired. A sea lion may need a year of training before it can publicly perform. Its long-term memory allows it to perform a trick after as much as three months of non-performance.<ref name="Walker 2003"/>