Galápagos sea lion pups on Santiago Island, Ecuador

Galápagos sea lion pups on Santiago Island, Ecuador

Soon these Galápagos sea lion pups will give up the play-fighting and head off into the Pacific to hunt sardines. Playing helps them develop the muscles, intelligence, and behavioral skills that will keep them alive when mom sends them away to forage for themselves. Though the name suggests they’re found only on the Galápagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, there is a smaller population on nearby Isla de la Plata—also part of Ecuador, but not part of the Galápagos.