Mystery Monday revealed! The answer is: California Sea Lion
📸 by Team Searcher
This is the iconic California sea lion, once used as a circus performer (sadly), but now seen in the wild across the coastal waters of the Pacific from Alaska to the Gulf of California, Baja. Seen at sea as far out as 100 miles or more, they are more more often seen nearshore at their haul out sites and rookeries. On Searcher trips, we see these amazing animals at several places, but most notably at Los Islotes where we can snorkel with them. There are bulls, nursing females with their pups born the previous year, and plenty of frisky juveniles. In and out of the water, they’re fun to watch, but I like to see them “porpoising” when they are traveling fast and leaping several body lengths at a time. They hit this “crossover speed” to avoid high wave drag in the water and go airborne to both breathe and cover some ground. They are deep divers, playful, tough, smart, and resilient. What’s not to like? –Paul Jones.
