Sea Lions Play 'Keep Away'; their Fur Seal Cousins

The sea lions’ mischievous behavior was most evident later in our trip, when, toward the end of a day, a few of us were snorkeling with both guides joining us on the panga.  Where  so many currents converge in the Galapagos, the water can be cold; we were all wearing wet suits, gloves, etc. to be comfortable.

There were two friendly, curious sea lions who came close to check us out.  As we were winding down, a few of us returned to the panga.  Suddenly one of our travel mates pops out of the water and shouts,  ‘The sea lion got my glove!’

Both guides immediately dived into the water to try to get the glove before one of the sea lions ate it.  This was a sea lion rescue mission, not a glove retrieval errand.

How did the sea lions react?  They played ‘keep away’.  As we watched, astonished, from the raft, the sea lions threw the glove to each other, successfully keeping it out of reach of the men.  Of course none of us had cameras, but please trust me, I am not making this up.  

For several minutes, two playful sea lions managed to toss the glove back and forth.  It was almost like watching a basketball game.

Then one of the guides managed to distract a sea lion so the next glove toss was intercepted.  None of us had brought cameras out, but this video will give you a sense of both the sea lion playfulness as well as the way a bull might survey and protect his turf.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7aJda1skeA

Galapagos Fur Seals- the Sea Lion Cousins 

The sea lions are also related to Galapagos fur seals but the latter are shy, and tend to be found primarily on Fernandina and Isabela, whereas  the sea lions, who have adapted better for life on the beach than seals, are on several islands.     

Sea lions, as you’ve seen, can raise the front parts of their bodies,  and also rotate their back flippers enabling them to walk and run on land. Seals use their front flippers to steer, and back flippers for power, and they can’t lift the front parts of their bodies in the same way as their sea lion cousins.

Life on the beach: Sea lions and mockingbird

    

More About Galapagos Sea Lions

Three things especially struck me about the sea lions:  the dominant male’s aggressive protection of his females and his turf (even against humans, if he feels they’re a threat); the sea lions’ general playfulness; and how much they reminded me of dogs. 

The day after our visit to Fernandina, when we were on the Islet of Sombrero Chino, I observed a male patrolling and protecting his turf and his harem.  He ‘ran’ along the beach on his flippers, barking hostilely at a male he perceived to be a threat.  Not for long, though. 

 

Sea lion examines guide Roberto

From these photos it’s clear the sea lions don’t see us as threats.

Sea lions ignore me

Playmates, maybe….but not threats.

The three pups below had been playing in the sea and came ashore together, still cavorting.  Their antics and their endearing faces are what remind me so much of dogs.  

Playful Pups

Sea lion frolics impress me  more than their aggressive turf protection.  They can be very funny… but not to everyone.

In a previous post, I mentioned the marine iguanas’ diet consists of underwater algae and the iguanas can remain submerged for 15 minutes or longer.  But when they need to surface for air and warmth, timing can be critical.  One of the problems they run into—playful sea lions.

While the iguana is heading up for survival,  high-spirited sea lions frolicking under the water can interfere with that ascent.  The sea lions are only playing…oblivious to the affect this may have on their unwilling playmates.

The dominant male sea lion may examine a human (or any other) visitor on land or under water to be sure there is no threat to him or his harem.  As long as the bull does not feel challenged, he’s unlikely to attack or pursue a human. But the mere appearance of a competitor can provoke a loud barking chase.

The sea lions' diet is fish.  Generally their prey is within a mile or two of the shore.  But if they have to expand their hunting area, they will…and that’s when they run the risk of becoming prey instead of predator.  Deeper waters and distance from shore increase the likelihood of encounters with killer sharks and hungry whales.

You may recall the ‘sea lion greeter’ when we began our trip.  To see a video of a more assertive sea lion on the docks, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfcn9RXJ8AU

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Galapagos Sea Lions

In my last post about Fernandina, I mentioned that Sally Lightfoot crabs groom the marine iguanas.  Tiny lava lizards help out, too.  These lizards, generally about six inches long,  survive on insects, maggots, and other critters that might also annoy the sea lion;  another symbiotic relationship.

I wasn’t able to get a good photo of a lizard lunching on sea lion flies.  This photo is from  galapagosislands.com

We met our first sea lions on San Cristobal island before we embarked on the Letty—this one greeted us at the dock  

Galapagos sea lions, related to California sea lions, are large, seem unflinchng, and live on several of the islands.  An adult male might weigh as much as 900 pounds;  adult females average about 250 pounds.

           

Unintimidated sea lions

Male sea lions are competitive all the time. but during mating season the stakes are especially high.  A dominant male takes control of an area and fights off other prospective suitors in order to create a space for up to fifteen—or more— females in his harem.  The male breeds with each of his females and is very protective of them.  Ironically, the labor of love can deprive the bull of time for adequate nutrition….it may not happen often but it could.   And that might make him an easier target for a rival bull who could, in a battle,  take over.

Sometimes the bull will be a little aggressive towards the pups.  Maybe he’s protecting his turf and gets a little carried away?  I didn’t hear any stories or see evidence of the dominant male ever hurting his offspring when I was there.

Females bear a single pup that bonds with mom.  She learns to differentiate her pup's call from the others. The mother hunts by day and nurses the baby in the evening for about five weeks.  The pup then begins to forage for itself but remains dependent on the mother sea lion for about 11 months.

Mother and pup

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Next: More About Galapagos Sea Lions