Baby Sea Lion With An Urchin Is Like A Puppy With A New Ball

Baby sea lions are delightful creatures. They spend their time playing in the tidepools, entertaining themselves while their mothers are out a sea, hunting for eels, fish, and octopus. They wait anxiously at the shore for their mothers to return so that they can nurse on the milk that is their main food source for at least a year. A young sea lion would be an easy meal for a large shark if it were to venture out into the open ocean.Show more

Nearly every beach and rocky shore in the Galapagos Islands is inhabited by sea lion colonies. Their barks and the cries of the infants are heard above the roar of the surf in almost all locations. This adorable fellow is keeping himself amused with a chuck of broken sea urchin that washes in and out with each wave. Like a dog with a new ball, he chases it and tosses it away, only to chase it again. He is having fun, but he is also developing skills as he learns to manage the ocean currents and capture things underwater. This will serve him well as he develops the ability to hunt for himself as he grows.

Sea lions delight and fascinate the tourists of the Galapagos Islands. They are one of the most loveable creatures imaginable.
As tempting as it is to touch a baby sea lion, doing so will leave a scent that will almost certainly cause the mother to abandon her young. It will perish from starvation and dehydration. The beaches are also the scene of incredible tragedy as the plaintiff cries of orphaned babies can be heard often. Not all mothers return from the ocean and their young will usually be left without any chance for survival. This is nature's way, and as difficult as it is to watch, humans must never interfere, even with the best of intentions.