[Leica] Sea Lions and Fur Seals

[Jayanand Govindaraj]

A start to the photographs of our recent trip to the Galapagos with the
Galapagos Sea Lion and closely related Galapagos Fur Seal. The beauty of
animals there is you really can get in very close, so generally it is a
case of our avoiding the animals instead of the other way round, as is the
case in most other nature areas. This also means that we can carry shorter
and lighter lenses while hiking, greatly easing the burden!

We start with the Galapagos Sea Lion. Firstly, two photographs of a new
born Galapagos Sea Lion pup with its mother. Our experienced
Naturalist/Guide, Walter Perez, estimated that it was, at most, an hour
old. In fact the placenta/umbilical cord was lying close by:

New Born:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181125-2975C.jpg.html

First Feed:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181125-2975C.jpg.html

A shaft of light hits a Sea Lion:

Spotlight:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5667.jpg.html

Three shots of two youngsters playing:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181126-3722.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181126-3738.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181126-3816.jpg.html

Almost a sculpture!

Repose:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-6010.jpg.html

Two shots of Galapagos Sea Lion resting and sleeping, one adult and one pup:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-6010.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181125-2781.jpg.html

Finally two portraits of pups getting rather convoluted - just shows how
flexible their backs are!

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5990.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-6351.jpg.html

Now on to the Galapagos Fur Seal. Firstly, two close ups of one swimming:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5737.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5749.jpg.html

Finally five studies of a Galapagos Fur Seal, who like a top model furled
and unfurled itself into all sorts of interesting poses!

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5776.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5777.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5757.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5784.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Galapagos/Galapagos/Galapagos-20181129-5803.jpg.html

Please see LARGE

Comments and criticism, as ever, most welcome

Cheers
Jayanand