Guadalupe fur seals, floating upside down underwater over a rocky reef covered with golden kelp at Guadalupe Island.
Guadalupe fur seal, floating upside down under the ocean's surface at Guadalupe Island, watching the photographer and looking for passing predators.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
California sea lions underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
South American sea lion underwater, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina.
Steller sea lions underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
California sea lion framed by huge breaking wave in La Jolla.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Young California sea lion pups underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
Young California sea lions playing underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Steller sea lion underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Australian Sea Lions in Kelp, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
A beautiful golden-brown female California Sea Lion at the Coronado Islands, posing on a carpet of purple marine algae, Baja California, Mexico.
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.
A northern elephant seal hovers underwater over a rocky bottom along the coastline of Guadalupe Island.
Juvenile Northern Elephant Seal Underwater, Coronado Islands, Mexico.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
South American sea lions underwater, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina.
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.
Steller sea lion underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Mature adult male South American sea lion and juvenile, hauled out on rocks to rest and warm in the sun, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina.
Pacific Harbor Seal Pup in La Jolla About Three Weeks Old, hauled out on a white sand beach along the coast of San Diego. This young seal will be weaned off its mothers milk and care when it is about four to six weeks old, and before that time it must learn how to forage for food on its own, a very difficult time for a young seal.
Bull elephant seal exits the water to retake his position on the beach. He shows considerable scarring on his chest and proboscis from many winters fighting other males for territory and rights to a harem of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Steller sea lions (Northern sea lions) gather on rocks. Steller sea lions are the largest members of the Otariid (eared seal) family. Males can weigh up to 2400 lb., females up to 770 lb.
Australian Sea Lions, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Guadalupe fur seal pup sits on brown rocks along the coastline of Guadalupe Island.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Pacific harbor seal in shallow water, on sand at the edge of the sea.
Newborn harbor seal pup watches a Western seagull approach. The gull is trying to pick at placenta on the sandy beach as the seal pup, born just moments before, watches and tries to understand what is going on. Within an hour of being born, this pup had learned to nurse and had entered the ocean for its first swim.
Pacific Harbor Seal spyhopping, 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.
Northern elephant seal.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
South American sea lions underwater, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina.
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.
South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina.
Young Pacific Harbor Seal pup splashed by a wave at the waters edge, on a white sand beach in San Diego.
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.
Pacific Harbor Seal Mother and Pup Emerge from the Ocean, they will remain close for four to six weeks until the pup is weaned from its mother's milk.
Northern fur seal swims through the cold waters and kelp forest of San Miguel Island, in California's northern Channel Islands.
Northern elephant seal, San Benito Islands.
California Sea Lion pup nursing on its mother, La Jolla, California.
California Sea Lion hunting Zebra Perch, Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion mother with her pup, mother has injury, open wound, La Jolla, California.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
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.
Pacific harbor seal swims in the protected waters of Childrens Pool in La Jolla, California. This group of harbor seals, which has formed a breeding colony at a small but popular beach near San Diego, is at the center of considerable controversy. While harbor seals are protected from harassment by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and other legislation, local interests would like to see the seals leave so that people can resume using the beach.
Northern elephant seal underwater at Guadalupe Island.
A young Pacific Harbor Seal pup with milk on its face from nursing. Mother harbor seals will only nurse their pups for about four to six weeks, at which point the small seal is weaned and must begin to forage and fend for itself. That short period of time is crucial for the young seal to learn how to hunt, socialize and swim.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
California sea lion hanging upside-down underwater, watching the photographer, Baja California, Mexico.
Pacific harbor seal, mother and pup.
Galapagos fur seal, Darwin Island.
Northern fur seal.
Guadalupe fur seal.
Galapagos fur seal.
Australian Sea Lions in Kelp, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Australian Sea Lions Playing Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Australian Sea Lions in Kelp, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Antarctic fur seals, adult male bull and female, illustrating extreme sexual dimorphism common among pinnipeds (seals, sea lions and fur seals).
Southern elephant seal, juvenile. The southern elephant seal is the largest pinniped, and the largest member of order Carnivora, ever to have existed. It gets its name from the large proboscis (nose) it has when it has grown to adulthood.
Antarctic fur seal, on grass slopes high above Fortuna Bay, with the cloudy heights of South Georgia Island rising in the background.
Antarctic fur seal colony, on a sand beach alongside Right Whale Bay, with the mountains of South Georgia Island in the background, sunset.
Southern elephant seal watches gentoo penguin.
Galapagos fur seals, Darwin Island.