‘Best slow TV ever’: scientists mount cameras on endangered sea lions to map Australia’s ocean floor

Eight females from two seal colonies have filmed almost 90 hours across more than 500km, helping scientists map 5,000 sq km of habitat

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The Australian sea lions glide and dart through underwater tunnels, over seagrass beds and rocky reefs, searching for a meal and dancing with dolphins around a giant bait ball of fish - all the action captured by a camera stuck on their back.

I can watch this stuff for hours," says Prof Simon Goldsworthy. It's like the best slow TV ever. You just don't know what you're going to see next."

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