Sea lion hunting in swimming area catches a fish in Galapagos Islands

Sea lions are fascinating to watch as they go about their business along the beaches and rocky shores throughout the Galapagos Islands. They hunt for fish, octopus, eels, and squid. This young sea lion is not full grown and he dares not venture out into the open ocean. Sharks and orcas prey on young sea lions in the deeper waters.
Mother sea lions leave their young on the beach when they go out to the sea for their food. They return for a rest and to feed their young milk. Sea lions are at least partially dependent on their mother's milk for 2-3 years.
This beach area is used by people on the island of Santa Cruz. They have a healthy respect for the animal life here and they know to avoid close contact with sea lions and other creatures. The sea lions seem to follow the same approach as they avoid getting too close to people as well. But this sea lion casts a curious glance toward the swimmer with the camera who records it probing the tide pools for a meal.
Animals on the Galapagos Islands are not fearful of humans because they live in harmony with as little interference as possible. This allows for excellent opportunities to observe the animals from a reasonable distance.