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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Eighty-three: Impressions of the Galapagos – an extended photo-essay > Tourists and Sea Lions, Gardner Bay, Espanola Island, The Galapagos, Ecuador, 2012
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22-JUN-2012

Tourists and Sea Lions, Gardner Bay, Espanola Island, The Galapagos, Ecuador, 2012

Visiting tourists always marvel at how the vast herd of Galapagos Sea Lions at Gardner Bay ignore them. The young pups are far more curious than the slumbering adults. In this shot, three visitors stand before a sea lion family, as the pups satisfy their own curiosity. I stood in this spot for ten minutes, focusing on this particular family consisting a five adults and two pups. I waited for three people to stand before them, a curtain of sparking ocean water rising behind them. The pups punctuate the two empty spaces between the visitors, integrating the two groups into one.

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Phil Douglis03-Aug-2012 18:55
The Galapagos National Park manages these islands. Every visitor entering the Galapagos receives a brochure covering the park rules and regulations. The brochure states thats visitors must stay at least six feet from animals and birds. That rule, as we can see here, is often ignored and rarely enforced, because animals such as sea lions, particularly the curious pups, can and do approach humans to catch their scent. At one point, I was walking on a beach, and felt tug on my walking stick. I turned around to find that a seal lion pup had grabbed on to it. Needless to say, these pups are merely curious and pose no threat. However, we were told in no uncertain terms to keep away from male sea lions. They can become very aggressive. (This can be difficult when you are walking on a narrow trail and find a male sea lion blocking it. A long detour becomes the best course of action.)
Carol E Sandgren03-Aug-2012 04:32
I am amazed that they let you get so close to them, and by "they" I mean not only the sea lions but whoever manages these islands.
Phil Douglis24-Jul-2012 19:07
Respectl is an attitude that most visitors bring to the Galapagos. Awestruck is another. The young sea lions show mostly curiosity.
JSWaters23-Jul-2012 23:38
As most youngsters do, these two clearly like the attention. I like the respectful stances of the visitors.
Jenene
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