Piles of Pinnipeds~

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life

(Click/tap to enlarge)

Anxiously calling,

from land,

out to sea.

Others still must brave the waves,

to safely land.

The rocks are hard and the waves are big.

Finally resting,

reaching land is victory.

A kiss of encouragement steals the nerves.

Rest and respite so well deserved.

Cheers to you from La Jolla’s resting sea lions~

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244 thoughts on “Piles of Pinnipeds~”

  5. Anonymous

    The mama and bubba sleeping close together are so heart-meltingly cute in photo number 4! Lovely photos, Cindy!

    Reply

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  14. They are so cute and just so likable. I am sure it is dangerous to have close contact with them. That is probably better that way (to keep them from being harmed by us rather).

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    1. They subsided, but now another more normal storm is almost here. The waves will be big, but not as big. I do especially love Mother Nature when she flexes her muscles ღ

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  24. sally cronin

    Brilliant as always Cindy we have seals here and a sanctuary on the doorstep… amazing creatures but here they get a great deal of rough weather and little sunshine to enjoy…

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    1. I have seen them further south and north. They do endure incredible hardship at these latitudes. I am happy to hear of your sanctuary. Wonderful that people put caring into action. Wishing you only the very best in 2024 Sally & thank you sincerely დ

      Reply

  30. They are related to canines I believe so I thought they could be called sea dogs. But a Google for that only turned up a Boston Red Sox farm team. The first shot looks like they could be barking. 🙂 I’ve always heard that it is best to stay upwind of them.
    I envy your living close to them as I have never seen one, even in a zoo.

    Reply

  32. Aaaah, lovely captures of the sea lions, Cindy. It’s so vital that they can get on land and get some well deserved rest. Are they often disturbed by visitors?
    Here the Grey seal season has just come to an end. The many storms, high tides and big waves has separated several pups from their mums and it has been a busy season for a marine mammal medic like myself.
    All the very best for 2024. Xx

    Reply

    1. Separated pups and mums are so very sad to see. So wonderful that you are a medic trained to help them. Thank you sincerely for what you do Dina! Wishng all of The Fab Four a Most Happy & Healthy New Year & thank you for stopping by დ

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  35. Cheers back to you. Love the sea lions.
    (I had another look at my movie. The building in “Santa MOnica” does look a lot like the one you displayed. In la Jolla. Need to post it so you can tell me…)
    Cheers

    Reply

  38. Those sea lions know what they’re doing! Spending all day swimming in the ocean and then resting in the sun: sounds perfect! Of course, those are some serious waves, and I’m sure that there are lots of predators who would love to make a meal out of a sea lion.

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    1. Yes. And we are experiencing really weird behavior with orcas locally. Actually orcas have altered their hunting behavior in many places on the planet, as they search for dwindling food sources. They have been attacking great whites and eating only their nurtient rich livers off mostly Northern California waters, but now in our local waters they have been eating seal heads creating a mystery that was only recently solved. Surgically decapitated seals have been washing up on local beaches. Scientists have determined it is orca predation. They have also been photographed hunting dolphin locally. They have always been in these waters, but they have never done this.

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      1. That is strange behavior…it seems that hunger is pushing the orcas to extremes. I wonder who’s responsible for the dwindling food supplies? Definitely not humans!

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        1. Google Generative AI explains:
          Salmon populations are declining in many parts of Western North America, including California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and southern British Columbia. Some runs have decreased to less than 10% of their historical numbers, and some have disappeared.

          NewsData
          Some causes of the decline include:
          Habitat destruction: Urban development and natural resource extraction have destroyed many prime salmon spawning habitats.
          Climate change: The ecosystems’ resilience to climate change is lowered.
          Pollution: Water pollution, polluted rivers, and disease have contributed to population declines.
          Dams: The construction of dams and other barriers to fish passage, such as roads, have cut salmon off from spawning habitats.
          Overfishing: Massive overharvest and historic over-fishing have contributed to the decline.
          Invasive species: Invasive species have contributed to the decline.
          Ranching practices: Poor ranching practices have contributed to the loss of salmon runs.
          Other factors that may contribute to the decline include: Fish hatcheries, Ocean conditions, Escaped fish.
          The spring-run Chinook population has been listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1999.

          Reply
  40. Anonymous

    Wow, I’ve been following your posts about the huge waves at La Jolla, the surfers, and the sea lions! We were in San Diego over Christmas but left before those storms hit, so I loved these pictures from a beach I love!

    Reply

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