Galapagos Islands Underwater Creatures

Galapagos Sea Lions -this is a female weighing about 100kg, the males grow up to 250kg! There are 50,000 in the islands across most of the islands. Bull males (who have big bumps on their heads) establish their territories which are savagely defended from rivals. They basically cruise around all day barking at anything and nothing. They are polygamous and make little or no parental investment. Sea lions seek body contact and loaf around together on the beach.

You can get really close to them. This was a seal pup who was very curious. At one point David (aka David Attenborough) was taking a bird camera shot near the edge of a cliff and I said to him to be careful. He thought I meant about the edge of the cliff (but I meant the seal lion.) He stood about 10cm away from the animal and it barked it him in alarm and Dave jumped out of his skin. Very funny!






Dave and I simply loved the cheeky seals. They are realled to dogs apparently! They smell a bit sort of a decayed fish!












A bit of snorkelling with the marine life including loads of tropical fishes, sometimes in varying colours to what I have seen in the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea. The water was about 19-20 degrees and often visibility was only 5m or so. Snorkelling with the seals was loads of fun as they are so playful.