Baby sea lion begs for fish then flops into the ocean

Sea lions are among the most comical and endearing animals in the world. The Galapagos Islands are home to thousands. They cover most beaches and rocky shorelines. They even stretch out on tables and benches in the towns near the ocean.

Aptly named "sea dogs", these lovable creatures are more like our canine friends than any other animal. They are playful and curious, and they don't seem to mind being near people. This adorable little fellow shows up each day at the fish market on Santa Cruz island. His pleading face and pathetic cries for food test even the hardest of the fishermen who clean their catch here. Although it is generally frowned upon to feed or touch the animals, an occasional scrap of fish finds its way to the floor near this baby sea lion.

The baby can be seen comically struggling with large flaps of fish skins. He flips them repeatedly until part of them is in the back of his throat. This is the only way he can swallow the fish. Eventually he gets the scraps in the right position and gulps them down. It's obvious that the fisherman has a soft spot for the big, brown eyes, and although he doesn't look like he's doing it intentionally, a close look shows that the fish scraps are aimed too well to be unintentionally flung.

After feeding his face and seeing that the fish cleaning has come to an end, the baby sea lion waddles adorably to the edge of the pier and he flops into the ocean. There is nothing graceful about his entry, but as soon as he is afloat, he smoothly flaps his fins and swims with complete grace through the maze of boats and off to find a rock in the sun to catch a snooze. You only have to watch the baby sea lions for a few minutes to completely fall in love with them.