Tourist And Sea Lion Share A Shady Spot For A Nap In The Galapagos

Would you be able to take a nap next to a sea lion? Watch how this man shares a shady place with a sea lion on the Galapagos Islands! Most people who love traveling tend to be very brave, since they often encounter wild animals, although they often do not pose any danger to them. On the island of Galapagos, there is a large population of sea lions, and it turns out to be a good attraction for tourists since they are generally not dangerous and it is very exciting to observe them. In this case, a tourist shares a shady place with a sea lion, and both take the opportunity to take a nap and rest for a moment. It's time to take a nap and get away from the sun!

Sea lions are social creatures that gather in groups of approximately 30 individuals and are not shy at all since it has been observed that they do not flee before the presence of men when they are resting on the earth, something that in part can represent a series of problems that we will explain in the threats section. In addition, sea lions enjoy resting in the shade provided by vegetation, rocks and large cliffs. They spend several hours in formed puddles or in the low ocean waters, in order to avoid body overheating.

It is not necessary to clarify much its place of residence, because it is enough to read its name to know that sea lions inhabit mainly the Galapagos Islands, a famous archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean at the height of the country Ecuador, although it is worth noting that solitary sea lions have been found in waters of Colombia and Costa Rica. They are not migratory animals. Of course, its habitat is surrounded by ocean waters, huge coastal rocks, sandy terrain and a great diversity of native fauna.

Sea lions are active hunters during the day that do not move far from their colonies to look for prey. Some organisms that are part of their diet are octopus, squid, crustaceans, and varieties of fish such as sardines. They realize dives of up to 200 m deep with an amazing time of 10 min or a little more, but regularly they enter from 45 to 150 m for 3 or 5 min. They can go 10 to 15 km away from the coast to get more food, but that's when their lives are in danger as a result of predation. For their part, females have no problem feeding during the day or night, while males prefer to do so at night.

The climatic phenomenon known as El Niño is a threat to the populations of sea lions in the Galapagos because the sea waters change temperature and move away from the organisms that are part of the diet of these pinnipeds, who eventually die of starvation. A population of between 20,000 and 40,000 sea lions of this species is estimated but is in decline, which is why it is classified as an endangered animal.

The Galapagos Islands are one of the most incredible places on the planet. Their diverse wildlife and plants make this the islands an adventure for nature lovers of all types. One of the most amazing creatures here is the sea lion. Playful, funny, animated, and fascinating, they are everywhere on some islands. They populate many beaches and rocky shores, coming inland each day to nap in the sun. For some reason, they particularly like to lie on the benches and tables. It's hard to find a spot to sit down that hasn't already been claimed by one of these hilarious creatures.

Cameron, a visitor from Canada was on a hiking tour along the beach on Isabela Island in the Galapagos. It was a hot day and the sun was beating down. When he found a shady spot to rest, he wasn't surprised to see a large, female sea lion had also picked this little shelter from the sun. Cameron quietly walked to the empty beach beside his new friend and lay down. The sea lion didn't object a bit and she barely opened her eyes. As if completely used to sharing the shade with humans, she continued to snore away.

After a brief rest, Cameron opened his eyes, looked over at the sea lion and said goodbye. He was up and away, rejoining his tour. The sea lion obviously had less on its agenda and it continued to sleep.

Sea lions, often referred to as "sea dogs" are very endearing animals that resemble dogs in their personality. Adorably clumsy on land, but quick and graceful underwater, they are a joy too behold. Tourists enjoy taking selfies and filming and photographing the sea lions, but the law and the expectation here is that a 2m (6 foot) distance be maintained whenever possible in order to respect the animals and to remain safe.

Sea lions often lie on paths and walkways, sleeping soundly as tourists carefully step over and around them. They claim parked boats, trucks, and almost any flat surface as their own when it is nap time. And for sea lions in the Galapagos, almost any time is nap time!