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 |
 |
| 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
# #
#
No comments:
Post a Comment