Jealous sea lion pulls marine iguana away from scuba divers

Sea lions are like the playful puppies of the ocean. They are much like our furry canine companions in looks and in personality. And just like dogs do, sea lions get jealous when people pay attention to other animals. This sea lion was curious about a group of scuba divers that had entered a bay off Fernandina Island in the Galapagos to observe and film marine iguanas, the only lizard in the world that dives under water to eat the vegetation that grows beneath the waves.
As the divers made their way over the rocks and around the iguanas, this sea lion darted past them and all around them, rushing straight at them and skillfully arcing away at the last second. His curiosity and playfulness was truly endearing. But when the divers didn't watch the sea lion enough, it decided that the iguana needed to go. The sea lion grabbed the iguana by the tail and dragged it away for the people, towards the surface. The iguana doesn't enjoy this game at all and it wiggles and tries to break free. Sea lions don't hurt the iguanas and, although it was distressing for the divers to watch, they had to trust the sea lion to release the iguana. Chasing the pair to help the iguana would be useless because the sea lion can swim much more quickly than an awkward human. To try catching it would encourage the sea lion to hold on and prolong the game. To everyone's relief, the sea lion let the iguana go and it made its way to the surface for air.
Marine iguanas are a unique animal that has evolved from land iguanas. They arrived on these islands many years ago and faced hostile conditions with a near absence of fresh water and almost no food during the arid season. This forced them to adapt by eating the vegetation that grows in the shallows and the tidal zones around the islands. To better reach this vegetation, the larger males have developed strong swimming skills and the ability to hold their breath for up to thirty minutes at a time. The cold water here saps their strength and robs them of body heat quickly. They must bask in the sun to raise their core temperature before they plunge into the water. They must also bask in the sun to warm back up and digest their food after a feeding session.
The animals in the Galapagos Islands are truly magnificent and mysterious creatures.