Young sea lions frolic in the shallows while waiting for their mothers

Sea lions are one of nature's most lovable creatures. Very much like our furry canine companions in both in personality and in appearance, they have captured our hearts. Watching sea lions play in the water brings a smile to everyone's face. They roll and dart up and down, even in circles, demonstrating the ability to enjoy the moment like no other.

These young sea lions are in their first year. They will be dependent on their mothers for milk for up to three years. She will leave them on the shore as she disappears into the ocean to hunt for food for hours at a time. The pups are relentless in their demand for milk and she will need to eat a lot of fish, octopus, and eels to keep up her calories to produce that milk.

The pups wait patiently, enjoying the protection of the colony, and sometimes the bull sea lion, as they play on shore and in the shallows. When they are bigger, they will also venture out into the ocean to hunt.

Sadly, the mothers do not always return. Accidents can happen, and large sharks prey on sea lions in the deeper waters. A pup who finds himself without a mother will certainly starve as they will not be fed by another female sea lion. The cries of hungry sea lion pups are heart breaking, but in almost all cases, the mother returns from the sea to answer their cries, and the happy reunions on the beach are a joy to watch!