California sea lions underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion framed by huge breaking wave in La Jolla.
California sea lion underwater playing with sea star.
Young California sea lion pups underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
Young California sea lions playing underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lions underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
A beautiful golden-brown female California Sea Lion at the Coronado Islands, posing on a carpet of purple marine algae, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion bodysurfing in La Jolla, surfing huge waves close to shore at Boomer Beach.
Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion.
Double side-eye from two young California sea lions resting on a reef in La Jolla.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Huge California Sea Lion Male Underwater, a bull, patrolling his breeding harem and territory, Coronado Islands, Mexico. His sagittal crest, the bony bump on his head that distinguishes adult male sea lions, is clearly seen. This particular sea lion bears an orange tag on his left foreflipper, probably as a result of rescue and release as a young sea lion years earlier.
California sea lion underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
California sea lion underwater at Los Islotes, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
California sea lion underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
Sea lion underwater in beautiful sunset light.
California sea lion underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
California sea lion surfing in a wave at La Jolla Cove, San Diego.
Mother sea lion teaches her young pup to bodysurf on waves.
Two adult female California Sea Lions, Portrait, La Jolla.
California Sea Lion Resting in the Sun, on rocky reef.
California sea lions bodysurfing and leaping way out of the water, in La Jolla at Boomer Beach.
A California sea lions leap high out of the water, jumping clear of a wave while bodysurfing at Boomer Beach in La Jolla.
California sea lion underwater.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
A mother California sea lion (left) and her pup (right), underwater at the Coronado Islands, Mexico. Mothers and pups spend much time together with the mother teaching her young padawan learner how to pursue prey. I spent a lot of time over 6 days watching this pair in Fall 2023.
California sea lion bodysurfing in La Jolla, surfing huge waves close to shore at Boomer Beach.
California sea lions swim and socialize over a kelp-covered rocky reef, underwater at San Clemente Island in California's southern Channel Islands.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Young Adult Male California Sea Lion Underwater, his sagittal crest (bump on his head) is starting to be visible. In another year or two he will be large enough to challenge for his own harem and begin mating with females.
Two Young California Sea Lions at Play Underwater in the Coronado Islands, Mexico. Pups spend much of their time playing with one another in the water, strengthening their swimming skills and mock jousting.
California Sea Lion and Underwater Photographer Celia Kujala at the Coronado Islands, Mexico.
California sea lion bodysurfing at La Jolla Cove and Boomer Beach in La Jolla.
Two Bodysurfing Sea Lions Side by Side. California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is surfing extreme shorebreak at Boomer Beach, Point La Jolla. The original bodysurfer.
California sea lion bodysurfing in La Jolla, surfing huge waves close to shore at Boomer Beach.
California sea lions bodysurfing and leaping out of the water, in La Jolla at Boomer Beach.
California Sea Lions, Mother nursing her pup.
California sea lion bodysurfing Boomer Beach in La Jolla.
California Sea Lion mother with her pup, La Jolla, California.
California Sea Lion pup playing on top of its resting mother, La Jolla, California.
California sea lion wounded from entanglement in fishing line, La Jolla.
California sea lions underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion with strange eyes, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Cute young California Sea Lion playing with its own tail, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
Huge California Sea Lion Male Underwater, a bull, patrolling his breeding harem and territory, Coronado Islands, Mexico. His sagittal crest, the bony bump on his head that distinguishes adult male sea lions, is clearly seen. This particular sea lion bears an orange tag on his left foreflipper, probably as a result of rescue and release as a young sea lion years earlier.
California sea lions playing underwater, socializing at North Coronado Island, Baja California, Mexico. Much of the play and mock sparring young sea lions perform involves biting and mouthing because what else can they use - they have no hands, duh.
Female California sea lion laying on pink marine algae, Coronado Islands, Mexico. Another female rests at the surface in the background, and two orange garibaldi fish swim around over the reef.
California sea lion and school of sardines underwater, Sea of Cortez, Baja California.
A California Sea Lion Bodysurfing on a Big Wave at La Jolla Cove.
California sea lion nuzzles a huge adult male bull. This is unusual behavior but the bull accepted the tiny pup and did not push it away or injure it.
California Sea Lions Surfing Waves at La Jolla Cove, San Diego.
California sea lion body surfing on large waves, shorebreak, La Jolla. Sea lions are the original body surfers and still the best.
Three California sea lions bodysurf together, suspended in the face of a big wave, Boomer Beach, La Jolla.
California sea lions bodysurfing and leaping way out of the water, in La Jolla at Boomer Beach.
California sea lion, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
California sea lion at Guadalupe Island, wave breaking on Isla Afuera, from underwater.
California sea lions swim and socialize over a kelp-covered rocky reef, underwater at San Clemente Island in California's southern Channel Islands.
California sea lions, Coronado Islands.
California sea lions, socializing/resting, Webster Point rookery, Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
California sea lion underwater.
California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
California sea lion underwater.
A beautiful golden-brown female California Sea Lion at the Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico. The huge male bull that formed the harem of which she was a part allowed her to hang out with me for a while, even while he continued patrolling just over my head.
Young sea lions at the Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion pup nursing on its mother, La Jolla, California.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion hunting Zebra Perch, Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion at oil rig Eureka, underwater, among the pilings supporting the oil rig.
California sea lion at oil rig Eureka, underwater, among the pilings supporting the oil rig.
California Sea Lion mother with her pup, mother has injury, open wound, La Jolla, California.
California sea lions, La Jolla.
California sea lion in breaking wave and whitewater foam, La Jolla.
California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion hanging upside-down underwater, watching the photographer, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
A young California sea lion pup hovers upside down, looking down curiously at the photographer below it, in the shallows of the sea lion colony at the Coronado Islands, Mexico.
Adult Male California Sea Lion with Several Young Pups, Mexico. This male sea lion is not yet large and mature enough to form his own harem so he swims at the underwater periphery of the territories of the more established males to see what females he can approach without being challenged and chased off by a bigger male.
Female California Sea Lion with Severe Fishing Line Entanglement Injury, in the Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico. The line is buried in the sea lion's tissue so far that is difficult to see. It is possible this synthetic line will continue to cut into the skin of this sea lion until it succumbs to infection or blood loss. I have never seen any marine mammal rescue teams at the Coronado islands and suspect this poor animal will not live long.
California sea lions hauled out on rocks in La Jolla Cove, splashed by huge waves.
California Sea Lion on Golden Sand Beach La Jolla Cove, San Diego.
A California Sea Lion Bodysurfing on a Big Wave at La Jolla Cove.
California sea lions surfing in a wave at La Jolla Cove, San Diego.
California sea lion surfing in a wave at La Jolla Cove, San Diego.
A California Sea Lion Surfing a Big Wave at La Jolla Cove, San Diego.
California sea lion portrait, La Jolla.
California Sea Lions Resting in the Sun, on rocky reef, La Jolla.
California Sea Lion Resting in the Sun, on rocky reef.
Beautiful golden-brown adult female California Sea Lion, resting on rocks in the morning sun, La Jolla, catching a little splash from a wave breaking on the reef just behind her.
California sea lion pups gather on the beach, Point La Jolla.
California sea lion entangled in fishing line, deep laceration around neck, Point La Jolla.
California sea lion bodysurfing Boomer Beach in La Jolla.
Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion.
Sunrise Portrait of California Sea Lion at La Jolla Cove on the Point La Jolla Reef.
California sea lion injured by fishing line, at Los Islotes in the Southern Sea of Cortez.
Large group of bachelor adult male California sea lions, underwater view, at Isla Las Animas near La Paz, Sea of Cortez, Baja California.
California sea lion.
California sea lion hauled out on rocks beside the ocean.
A California sea lion plays with a piece of kelp, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
California sea lion, Coronados Islands.
California sea lion, with monofiliment cut, on the Monterey Breakwater.
California sea lion underwater.
California sea lion underwater.
Sea lion portrait, hauled out on rocks beside the ocean.
California sea lion hanging upside-down underwater, watching the photographer, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion hanging upside-down underwater, watching the photographer, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lions Bodysurfing on a Big Wave at La Jolla Cove.
California sea lion surfing in a wave at La Jolla Cove, San Diego.
California sea lion portrait, La Jolla.
California sea lion bodysurfing at La Jolla Cove and Boomer Beach in La Jolla.
California sea lions, resting and sunning on rocks, about to get clobbered by a big wave.
Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion.
California sea lion, La Jolla.
A bull sea lion shows a brand burned into its hide by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, to monitor it from season to season as it travels between California, Oregon and Washington. Some California sea lions, such as this one C-704, prey upon migrating salmon that gather in the downstream waters and fish ladders of Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. The "C" in its brand denotes Columbia River. These sea lions also form bachelor colonies that haul out on public docks in Astoria's East Mooring Basin and elsewhere, where they can damage or even sink docks.
Sea lion head profile, showing small external ear, prominant forehead typical of adult males, whiskers. This sea lion is hauled out on public docks in Astoria's East Mooring Basin. This bachelor colony of adult males takes up residence for several weeks in late summer on public docks in Astoria after having fed upon migrating salmon in the Columbia River. The sea lions can damage or even sink docks and some critics feel that they cost the city money in the form of lost dock fees.
California sea lion, adult male, profile of head showing long whiskers and prominent sagittal crest (cranial crest bone), hauled out on rocks to rest, early morning sunrise light, Monterey breakwater rocks.
California sea lion, juveniles at play in kelp forest.
California sea lion, Isla Afuera, Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
California sea lion, Coronado Islands.
California sea lion, thermoregulating.
California sea lions, Coronado Islands.
California sea lion pup starving during 1997-8 El Nino event, Coronado Islands.
California sea lion and baitfish, Los Islotes, Sea of Cortez.
California sea lion, Coronado Islands.
California sea lion.
California sea lion.
California sea lion.
California sea lion, Los Coronado Islands.
California sea lion colony, Los Coronado Islands.
California sea lion colony.
California sea lion, Webster Point rookery.
California sea lion, Webster Point rookery.
California sea lion.
California sea lions, hauled out at rookery/colony, Baja California.
California sea lion, Baja California.
California sea lions, socializing/resting, Webster Point rookery, Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
California sea lions hauled out on rocks beside the ocean.