A mother Pacific harbor seal nuzzles her pup, born only a few hours earlier. The pup must bond and imprint on its mother quickly, and the pair will constantly nuzzle and rub against one another in order to solidify that bond.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39070
A newborn harbor seal pup, only a few minutes old, is nuzzled by its mother shortly after birth. Blood is still on the tiny pups fur coat. The pair will nuzzle frequently to solidify the bond they must maintain as the pup is nearly helpless. In just four to six weeks the pup will be weaned off its mothers milk and must forage for its own food.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39073
A newborn harbor seal pup in La Jolla, only a few minutes old, is nuzzled by its mother shortly after birth. Blood is still on the tiny pups fur coat. The pair will nuzzle frequently to solidify the bond they must maintain as the pup is nearly helpless. In just four to six weeks the pup will be weaned off its mothers milk and must forage for its own food.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39077
A mother Pacific harbor seal nuzzles her pup, born only a few hours earlier. The pup must bond and imprint on its mother quickly, and the pair will constantly nuzzle and rub against one another in order to solidify that bond.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39097
A mother Pacific harbor seal nuzzles her pup, born only a few hours earlier. The pup must bond and imprint on its mother quickly, and the pair will constantly nuzzle and rub against one another in order to solidify that bond.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39098
A mother Pacific harbor seal nuzzles her pup, born only a few hours earlier. The pup must bond and imprint on its mother quickly, and the pair will constantly nuzzle and rub against one another in order to solidify that bond.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39099
A mother Pacific harbor seal nuzzles her pup, born only a few hours earlier. The pup must bond and imprint on its mother quickly, and the pair will constantly nuzzle and rub against one another in order to solidify that bond.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39107
A mother Pacific harbor seal nuzzles her pup, born only a few days before. The pup must bond and imprint on its mother quickly, and the pair will constantly nuzzle and rub against one another in order to solidify that bond.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39112
Pacific harbor seal mother nuzzling her newborn pup, at the edge of the ocean at the Children's Pool in La Jolla. Mothers will nuzzle and touch their young pups frequently to solidify their bond.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39049
A newborn harbor seal pup, only a few minutes old, peeks over its mother who is resting after having just given birth. The pup is nuzzling and smelling its mothers belly, looking for mammary glands so that it can nurse. Within an hour of being born, this pup had learned to nurse and had entered the ocean for its first swim.
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39120
California sea lion pup and mother nuzzling, La Jolla Cove.
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39518
Sea lions resting and socializing in the morning sun. Sea lions are tactile creatures and spend much of their time in close physical contact, often nuzzling whiskers with each other.
Species: California Sea Lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37514