Sea lion lazily rolls to water after chasing rival bull from his women

Adult male sea lions are called bulls, and for good reason. They can be eight feet long and tip the scales at over five hundred pounds. It is common for them to be seven feet long and as heavy as three hundred. Armed with powerful jaws and a massive set of teeth, they are capable of defending themselves and their turf. They live in colonies, with one male and several adult females, along with many young sea lions. Young males are permitted to remain in the group but they will be chased off by the alpha male when they reach sexual maturity.

This large sea lion has been patrolling his beach, barking at everyone and everything, constantly alerting the masses that he is the king of this stretch of sand. But he has noticed an intruder. Another male sea lion is strolling down the beach and threatening his position in the colony. Recognizable by their immense size, as well as the large forehead and heavier skull, males stand out in the crowd like a sore thumb. Our sea lion king makes a hasty, although awkward beeline for the rival male and his bark sends a clear message that he should be gone or be prepared for battle.
Wisely, the newcomer assesses the situation and makes his way quickly over the sand dune and down the beach. The dominant male gives chase and barks aggressively until the rival is well clear of the snoozing females. They aren’t affected by the display of testosterone. They are content to sleep and let the males battle it out. After the chase is over, the dominant male takes a look at the beach and the stretch of sand between him and the water. He’s not designed for travel on land and walking on his flippers over uneven ground is fatiguing and awkward.

Giving chase has taken more energy than he intended and he has little left for a hike. Instead of waddling back down the hill, he decides to let gravity do the work for him. He flops down on the sand and begins to roll like a some great sausage, making his way to the water with less effort. He stops to cough and snort, then resumes the ridiculous roll to the waves. The bull enjoys a quick visit with a napping female and then reaches the edge of the water. A short waddle and a slide puts him in water deep enough to swim through. Before reaching deeper water, he takes a minute to investigate a pair of feet and a set of legs in his path. It is a tourist who is posing for some beach pictures, but she is not eager to meet this furry man. Although he approaches her completely out of curiosity, the sight of his whiskered snout near her feet drives her from the water in a hurry.