Galápagos sea lion pups on Santiago Island, Ecuador

© Tui De Roy/Minden Pictures

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. The playing they do helps them develop the muscles, intelligence and behavioural smarts that will keep them alive when mum 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.